Placement Selection
And Matching

 

To ensure permanency for children in a timely manner by selecting the best available adoptive placement.

1. The placement selection matching meeting should be documented in WiSACWIS by accessing Create>CaseWork>Adoption>Placement Selection Matching Meeting. The placement selections matching windows in WiSACWIS can document the meeting participants and the meeting session details.
2. If the adoptive placement involves a potential placement in an adoptive home that was studied by the adoption staff of another agency, a joint decision between the workers and supervisors at both agencies is required before selection of the placement.
3. The adoption social worker for the child will gather the following information to present to the placement selection team:

• Information on placement options including any relative and foster parent, or other persons that had been a significant caretaker for the child in the past that have expressed interest in adopting this child;
• Monthly Adoption Program Adoptive Resource list;
• Families listed in WiSACWIS that match the characteristics of the child;
• The results of any photo listing on the State Adoption Exchange or National Adoption Exchange;
• Input from the child if the child is able to comprehend the change and specify preferences for a potential placement, and;
• All available material about the child as documented in the Adoption Assessment.

4. Whenever possible, siblings will be placed together for adoption.
5. The placement selection team will consider existing approved resources and not delay a placement selection to allow an interested person to complete an adoptive home assessment unless that potential resource is judged by the selection team to appear to be significantly better for the child. Any decision to delay shall be documented in a case note in the child’s WiSACWIS record with a detailed description of the reasons used by the placement team. Delays shall not be approved to seek a placement based on race, ethnicity, culture, agency jurisdiction or geography.
6. No adoptive placement shall be delayed more than three months to allow a potential adoptive family resource to complete a home assessment.
7. The placement selection team will not select a family for adoptive placement if the family currently has a child placed for adoption in their home, has a child in their home with a permanency plan of adoption and the family has expressed interest in adopting that child or if the family is experiencing difficulty integrating a previously adopted or birth child into the family.
8. The placement selection team will document the results of the staffing on the Placement Selection and Matching form, accessed from the Adoption Referral window in WiSACWIS, and file copies in the child’s record and adoptive home record if one is identified. A copy will be sent to the ongoing social worker.
9. When a placement has been selected the adoption social worker will document in a case note in the child’s WiSACWIS record why this specific adoptive placement was selected, indicating the reason this placement was better than all other placement options considered. This may include a statement of the strengths of the selected family and/or areas of weakness among alternative placement options. The adoption worker is reminded that federal law prohibits delaying or denying placement of a child for adoption on the basis of race, color, national origin of the prospective adoptive parent(s) or of the child. Similarly, federal law indicates that a placement may not be delayed or denied due to geographic barriers, including the county or state of the placement or the agency providing adoption services to the child or prospective adoptive family.
10. The adoption social worker must ensure the placement resource is prepared for the placement of the child by compliance with all child placement procedures including full presentation of the child’s known information. The adoption social worker must complete a detailed Adoptive Family Placement agreement and have the adoptive resource sign the agreement. The Adoptive Family Placement agreement can be accessed from the Create>CaseWork>Placement window in WiSACWIS. A copy of this agreement must be filed in the child and adoptive family’s case record.
11. When an adoptive resource has accepted the placement, a letter shall be sent within three (3) working days to all other adoptive applicants who inquired about this child, telling them that another adoptive placement was selected and encouraging them to consider other children needing adoptive placement. The Outcome of Selection letter can be accessed from the Adoption Referral window in WiSACWIS.

 

FORMS REFERENCED:

Referral for Adoption and Consultation (currently available in hardcopy)

Placement Selection and Matching Form (CFS-2105T)

Adoptive Family Placement Agreement

 

Return to WiSACWIS Policies and Procedures Index Page

Return to Adoption in Wisconsin Index Page

Last Revised: June 16, 2008