FYI FYI FYI FYI FYI

F O R   Y O U R   I N F O R M A T I O N

DATE:   06/00

This FYI is being released in response to a request from the Children’s Services Inspector General’s office. The purpose of this release is to remind Social Workers that absent an investigation and subsequent finding to the contrary, children must be presumed to be at risk when adopting parents permit unsupervised contact with biological parents who have lost the custody of their children. Special care must be taken to ensure that adoptions are not entered into simply as a mechanism to end Court and DCFS supervision, with the ultimate intention of returning children to their biological parents following closure of the case.

The Adoptions Social Worker should be aware of all unmonitored contact between biological parents whose rights have been terminated and their children. DCFS should continually assess the (prospective) adoptive parent’s ability to make sound decisions regarding the supervision of children. Although some adoption agreements make provisions for contact between the biological parent and the child, it is the adoptive parent’s responsibility to ensure the child’s safety during these visits. This information should be thoroughly discussed with the adoptive parent during the Adoptive Home Study.

If the CAHL receives a call reporting unmonitored contact between a parent whose rights have been terminated and their biological child, the CAHL CSW will determine if any allegations exist. If allegations exist, the CAHL CSW will generate a referral. If no allegations exist, then the CAHL CSW will generate an "Info to CSW" to the Adoptions CSW, or a "Consultation Call" if the child no longer has an open case with DCFS.

CONTACT:     Lisa Sorenson (213) 351-5739

APPROVED: ________________________________
                    Beverly Muench, Deputy Director