27.3 Child's Summary for Adoption Placement
A thorough and accurate pre-placement study of the child is a critical component of the adoption process. The information provided assists potential families in making an informed decision regarding the child. Also, this information may be important to the child if/when he has questions regarding his heritage. The Children’s Service Worker may contact a number of resources to complete the pre-placement study including birth parents/relatives, physicians, placement provider, teacher and the child.
The following outline should be followed when preparing the child's summary for adoption placement.
Adoption Summary
Name: (first name only)
DOB:
Race:
Sex:
Religion:
Date:
Please refer home studies to: (Adoption Specialist’s Name
Address
Address
Phone #
Fax #
E-mail address;)
Description:
(Describe the child physically and his or her personality. What are his/her likes/dislikes, hobbies, talents, etc. What does he/she say about himself, his talents, likes, etc. What does his/her placement provider say about the child? If possible, obtain quotes from child and/or placement provider.)
Placement History:
(Identify when the child came into care and why and briefly discuss the child’s placement history – how many placements has the child had, what type of placements were they and include why the child was moved from one placement to another, changes in child’s behavior/demeanor, etc.)
Background Information of Biological Family:
(Describe the birth parents. What do they look like, do they have any drug history, what is their work/educational history, how old were they at the time the child was born. List any medical and/or mental health diagnosis of both birth parents and extended birth family – if applicable to this child – and any other pertinent birth family history that is not covered elsewhere in the profile.)
Education:
(Indicate the child’s current placement in school and identify grade level and academic year, i.e. for the school year 2001-2002 the child is in the eighth grade, identify if the child receives special education, if so, be specific as to what kind, what are the child’s favorite subjects. Is there an IEP in place to address these needs? Obtain a quote from the teacher, if possible. Obtain a quote from the child. Does the child have aspirations to attend higher education or a trade school, what do they want to “be” when they grow up. Include historical information if it’s pertinent to current educational status, i.e. due to not attending school on a regular basis in the birth home the child is behind academically. For pre-school aged children, indicate if the child attends child care or a pre-school, and if so, how they interact with their peers and adults, is the child developmentally on target, any concerns expressed by the placement provider and/or physician, etc.)
Health:
(Indicate the status of the child’s PHYSICAL and MENTAL health. List all diagnosis/prognosis and all medications currently prescribed. What treatments (including counseling, physical therapy, etc.) are being completed now and will be needed in the future. Does the child wear glasses, have asthma, allergies, etc…. List any past hospitalizations that are PERTINENT to child’s current condition. Provide information regarding the child’s birth, i.e. was it a normal, full term delivery, was the child born premature, if so, how premature, were their any health problems at the time of birth, what were they, have they been resolved, any long term affects? List any health concerns/diagnosis of birth family members if PERTINENT to child’s current or future development. Do NOT indicate child is current on all immunizations, unless they are not and then list why – all CD children SHOULD be current, so there is no need to indicate as such.)
Significant Relationships:
(Identify, by first name only, ALL of the child’s siblings, their current placement, if we are recruiting for them together or separately, current contact between the siblings and what future contact should look like after an adoption occurs. Also include any other person (mentor, foster parent, birth relative) for which the child should maintain contact with after an adoption occurs. If CD is not recruiting for siblings to be placed together, state why – REMEMBER, siblings cannot be separated for purposes of adoption unless a sibling split has been approved by the Regional Director, also, review court orders to determine if a Judge/Commissioner has ordered recruitment for the children together and/or separately.
Special Considerations:
(How does the child feel about adoption and what does the child say about adoption? What services will the child and family need to make a successful transition into an adoptive family? What type of family does the worker/placement provider/therapist envision for the child and why?
Should there be one parent, two parents, other siblings, older or younger? Always tell why. What type of family does the child envision for himself? List any other special considerations that you as the worker think will make a successful adoption.)
Records Available for Review (once family is selected as the child’s adoptive family):
Psychological: ___yes ___no
Psychiatric: ___yes ___no
Social History: ___yes ___no
School Records: ___yes ___no
Other (identify): ___yes ___no
Legal Status:
(Indicate if the child is legally free for adoption, i.e. termination of parental rights has been granted and is not under appeal, and if the child is in the custody of CD or the custody of a relative – do not use the terms “legal status one or legal status three” those are CD internal terms and no one else understands them)
Subsidy:
Please contact the adoption specialist for more information.
Prepared by:
______________________________________________________________________
Children’s Service Worker, date
Approved by:
______________________________________________________________________
Children’s Service Supervisor, date