Closing an Adoption Case
and
Post Adoption Supportive Services

PURPOSE:

To ensure a uniform process for closing adoption cases and the provision of post adoptive information and referral services to requests from adoptive families or adopted individuals.

1. Within one (1) working day of the finalization of an adoption, the adoption social worker shall close the adoptive child’s out of home placement in WiSACWIS if such a placement still exists. If the family has been approved for Adoption Assistance and an in home placement has not yet been created to document this service, the adoption social worker shall open an in home placement for the child in WiSACWIS within 24 hours of the finalization of the adoption.
2. Within one (1) working day of the finalization of an adoption, the adoptive family’s record must be updated to reflect their current status. If the family has other foster children a notice of the adoption must be given to the out of home care social worker or the county foster care coordinator along with a recommendation on the appropriateness of any subsequent placements in the foster home.
3. Within thirty (30) days of the finalization of an adoption, the adoption social worker shall call the Adoption Search Program in Madison to report the adoption date and other information needed for the commitment record.
4. Within sixty (60) days of the finalization of an adoption, the Adoption Program shall purge the case record of unnecessary information, using a list provided by the DCF, to ensure that all necessary information is included in the file. The child’s record shall be forwarded to the adoption search office and the foster home record retained in the agency.
5. The Adoption Program shall ensure that the adoption records of the family are filed and stored in accordance with Wis. Stats. 48.93.
6. The adoption social worker shall be knowledgeable about the range of services offered by the Post Adoption Resource Centers and inform families of the availability of these services and other services in the community.
7. The Adoption Program shall assist the Wisconsin Post Adoption Centers by participating in the annual planning of activities and by referring families to those activities.
8. The Adoption Program shall directly sponsor or maintain working relationships with support groups in the geographic areas they serve, including groups for parents and groups for children.
9. Adoption agency staff must ensure that, at a minimum, the following services are offered to adoptive families within two (2) working days of their request:

• An offer to provide at least one face to face interview with the family following the adoption; and
• Referral of the family to appropriate providers of post adoption services, including the local Post Adoption Resource Center.

Return to WiSACWIS Policies and Procedures Index Page

Return to Adoption in Wisconsin Index Page

Last Revised: June 19, 2008