The Children’s Service Worker shall inform adoptive parent(s), prospective or otherwise, of their right to view their adoptive records.

• Should an adoptive parent(s) request to view their record, the worker shall immediately acknowledge the receipt of their request with a letter including an appointment date and time to review the record no later than ten (10) working days from original date of request.
• At that appointment the Children’s Service Worker shall verify the identity of the adoptive family and provide a private area for viewing.  Do not permit review of any identifying information or non-identifying information of child or biological family if the adoption has been completed and the child and adoptive parent(s)’ records have been combined.
• Background information about the child important to the child’s placement should have been shared at the time of placement.  If they wish confirmation of this information, complete the CS-50 and follow the appropriate steps.
• The Children’s Service Worker shall provide the adoptive family with a copy of the adoptive family assessment if they have never been given one. 
• The worker will then document in the narrative, within five (5) working days, the time, place and person with whom the record was reviewed and/or material copied.

This does not affect the written procedures governing the summary of information shared with the prospective adoptive parent(s) at the time the child is placed.

Related Practice Alerts and Memos:

8-28-2020 – CD20-38- Adoption Records Disclosure