5301 Adoption Roles and Responsibilities

 

When parental rights are terminated or relinquished, the following responsibilities apply:

1. DCF Responsibilities
   1. Forward the PRT Journal Entry or Voluntary Relinquishment of Parental Rights immediately to the regional attorney for review of legal sufficiency.
   2. Issue the Consent to Adopt.
   3. Review and approve Aftercare Contact Agreement.
   4. Sign the Adoption Placement Agreement.
   5. Negotiate and execute the Adoption Assistance Agreement.
   6. Determine child’s eligibility for Adoption Assistance.
   7. Send the Child Welfare Case Management Provider the approved Journal Entries terminating parental rights or accepted relinquishments on both parents within three (3) working days of receipt of documents.
   8. Assess whether parental relinquishments should be accepted.
2. Child Welfare Case Management Provider Pre-Adoptive Casework Responsibilities:  
   1. Utilizing practices to maximize children’s likelihood of adoption and minimize the trauma children experience;
   2. Utilizing concurrent planning, as appropriate, to facilitate placing children as early as possible with relatives/caregivers who are open to adopting them if they are unable to return home;
   3. Reducing placement disruptions as much as possible and minimizing the trauma of moves between placements;
   4. Collaborating with Child Placing Agencies when a child has more than one adoptive resource needing assessments, and to complete additional family/home assessments when needed.
   5. Utilizing the Rapid Permanency Review (RPR) tracking tool to understand the barriers to permanency and enforce accountability for achieving it.
   6. Preparing the Adoption Packet, in collaboration with the Foster Care Liaison and Adoption Specialist for DCF Adoption Consent;
   7. Ensuring effective networking within communities and with schools, mental health centers, courts and community-based programs;
   8. Ensuring once an adoptive home has been approved, whether in-state or out of state, the child moves to the placement without delay, considering the best interests of the child. 
3. Child Welfare Case Management Provider Responsibilities Post-Finalization
   1. Provide 6 months of aftercare with monthly contacts and reports to DCF.  Refer to PPM 5270.
   2. Refer families to the Kansas Post Adoption Resource Center (K-PARC). 
4. When a family has not been identified for a child the Child Welfare Case Management Provider shall:
   1. Send the Adoption Exchange Provider the completed PPS 5310, Adoption Exchange Information form for the child within 5 working days of DCF acceptance of relinquishment or within 5 working days of the end of the Parental Rights Termination (PRT) appeal period on both parents if no appeal has been filed. The PPS 5310 shall be completed annually.

2.  Send the Adoption Exchange Provider the PPS 5315, Adoption   Exchange Child Status Update Form, when there is a change in the child’s circumstances.

5. Adoption Exchange Provider Responsibilities:

Send the CWCMP the completed PPS 5305 Individual Recruitment Plan for Child in Need of Adoption Resource annually from date of initial referral.