There may be cases in which a prospective adoptive parent informs an adoption staff member that he or she wishes to delay the adoptive placement until the child meets the eligibility criteria for enhanced adoption assistance. The adoption staff must not delay adoptive placement for the purpose of qualifying a child for enhanced adoption assistance. The staff must make every effort to achieve permanency in a timely manner.

When parental rights to a child have been terminated and a person has informed DFPS of his or her intent to adopt the child, staff members must make efforts to complete the adoptive placement within a reasonable time frame.

If staff members believe that the prospective adoptive parent is trying to delay adoptive placement until the child is eligible for enhanced adoption assistance, the caseworker discusses this issue with the supervisor and program director. These staff members work together to make a plan to move forward with permanency. The plan should include a staff member discussing the issue with the prospective adoptive parent and trying to proceed with making the adoptive placement using adoption assistance (as described in 1710 Adoption Assistance and its subitems).

If the prospective adoptive parent continues to delay and does not make efforts to move forward with the adoption, staff must pursue a different adoptive placement through extensive recruitment efforts. See Local and National Recruitment Efforts Related to Eligibility Criteria in 1722 Eligibility Requirements for Enhanced Adoption Assistance.