1. (a) The Family Service Worker will:

   1. (1) Invite Adoption Specialist to permanency planning staffing;

   2. (2)

      1. (A) Prior to the permanency planning staffing, complete CFS-426: Adoption Packet Checklist, ensuring that the child’s out-of-home placement record is up to date and that all attachments which are required for an adoption packet (Appendix A) are in the child’s record.
      2. (B) These will be copied and forwarded to the Adoption Specialist within three (3) business days after the permanency planning hearing;
   3. (3) Conduct permanency planning staffing and enter a contact, detailing the outcome of the staffing in the Division of Children and Family Services’ information management system;
   4. (4) Notify the Adoption Specialist within fourteen (14) days prior to TPR staffing and hearing;
   5. (5) Notify the Adoption Specialist, in writing within two (2) working days of the court hearing, that termination of parental rights with power to consent to adoption has been granted (if the Adoption Specialist was not at the hearing);
   6. (6) Determine if the resource parent, provisional resource parent, or a relative is interested in adopting the child if parental rights have been terminated;

   7. (7)

      1. (A) Complete a written account of all relatives for the child, via CFS-305: Relative and Fictive Kin Efforts, including but not limited to, the name, address, phone number, and reasons for denial of placement in the relative or fictive kin home.
      2. (B) This written account should also address the location of the child’s siblings and current visitation arrangements.
      3. (C) Provide this written account, of all relatives and fictive kin for the child, to the adoption staff during the permanency planning staffing (as part of the adoption packet).
      4. (D) Document this written account of relatives in the following locations in the division’s information management system:

2. (i) Contacts screen;

   1. (ii) Collateral information screen;

      1. (iii) Court report relative interest screen;

         1. (iv) Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment collateral; and
         2. (v) Case plan needs;

   2. (8) Schedule and conduct a consideration to adopt staffing within ten (10) working days from the court hearing that terminates parental rights, being sure to include:

      1. (A) Adoption Specialist;
      2. (B) Age-appropriate child;
      3. (C) Provisional or relative/fictive kin resource parent, as applicable;
      4. (D) Resource parent (to include private licensed placement agency (PLPA) and therapeutic foster care (TFC) parents, as applicable);
      5. (E) PLPA or TFC staff, as applicable;
      6. (F) Resource parent’s assigned Resource Worker, as applicable;
      7. (G) FSW Supervisor;
      8. (H) Other county staff;
      9. (I) Attorney ad litem;
      10. (J) Office of Chief Counsel attorney;
      11. (K) CASA; and
      12. (L) Other professionals, if applicable;
   3. (9) Utilize CFS-489: Resource Parent Consideration to Adopt to record the desire of the resource parents; and
   4. (10) Enter a contact in the division’s information management system detailing the outcome of the consideration to adopt staffing.

3. (b) The Adoption Specialist will:

   1. (1) Participate in the permanency planning staffing;
   2. (2) Complete a CFS-471: Disclosure for Adoption for each child in need of adoptive placement;
   3. (3) Complete an adoption data match for each child; and

   4. (4) Participate in the consideration to adopt staffing.

      1. (c) After termination of parental rights has occurred the Adoption Specialist will:

   5. (1) If the recommendation from the staffing supports the resource parent, provisional resource parent, or relative adoption, the Adoption Specialist will:

      1. (A) Staff with the Adoption Supervisor;
      2. (B) Within five (5) working days of the staffing, enter a contact in the division’s information management system that provides the date of the staffing, names and titles of persons participating, and findings on compliance to the placement criteria and recommendation; and
      3. (C) Complete and send a copy of CFS-447: Consideration to Adopt Staffing Notification to the Family Service Worker, County Supervisor, Adoption Supervisor, resource parent, Office of Chief Counsel attorney, ad litem, and CASA, as appropriate.

   6. (2) If the recommendation from the staffing does not support the resource parent, provisional resource parent, or relative adoption, the Adoption Specialist will:

      1. (A) Assess the recommendation and request any additional information for review with Adoption Supervisor;
      2. (B) Notify the resource parent, provisional resource parent, or relative, in writing, within ten (10) working days of the decision and state the reason or reasons for the decision and internal review procedures; and
      3. (C) Complete and send a copy of CFS-447: Consideration to Adopt Staffing Notification, to the Family Service Worker, County Supervisor, Adoption Supervisor, Office of Chief Counsel attorney, resource parent, ad litem, and CASA, as appropriate.

   7. (3) If those attending the staffing disagree about support of the resource parent, provisional resource parent, or relative adoption, the Adoption Specialist will:

      1. (A) Schedule another staffing within ten (10) working days, to include the Area Director or designee, Adoption Supervisor, and any other appropriate parties; and
      2. (B) Depending on the outcome of the staffing, follow the procedures listed above.
   8. (4) After consultation with Adoption Supervisor, make a decision to approve or deny the resource parent, provisional resource parent, relative or fictive kin’s application to adopt within ten (10) working days of receiving the completed home study, and send a written notification to the resource parent, provisional resource parent, or relative, utilizing CFS-447: Consideration to Adopt Staffing Decision.
   9. (5) Explain in the written notification the reason or reasons for denial and the internal review procedures.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: "01/2021"