OAR 413-120-0735: Current Caretaker or Relative Resource Parent Request for an Adoption Home Study

(1) When a current caretaker or relative resource parent requests a home study to be considered as a potential adoptive resource for a child or sibling group that are under consideration for adoption, prior to the completion of the adoption home study, the Department shall: (a) Convene a staffing that includes: (A) The caseworker for the child ; (B) The assigned courtesy caseworker for the child , if applicable; (C) The assigned supervisor for each caseworker assigned to the child; (D) The assigned Department certifier or ICPC worker for the current caretaker or relative resource parent ; and (E) The assigned Department adoption worker or, if known, ICPC adoption worker, if different from the assigned certifier or ICPC worker. (b) Notify and invite the following individuals to the staffing: (A) The attorney of the child ; (B) The CASA of the child ; (C) A representative of the child's Tribe, if the caseworker knows or there is reason to know the child is an Indian child pursuant to OAR 413-115-0060 ; (D) A member of the RCWAC , if the child is a refugee child ; and (E) Any other individual who a caseworker, in consultation with a supervisor, believes may provide valuable input regarding the child and the ability of the current caretaker or relative resource parent to meet the current and lifelong needs of the child or sibling group under consideration for adoption. (2) Participants of the staffing must consider the following: (a) The safety, attachment, and well-being needs of the child or sibling group under consideration for adoption and how well the current caretaker or relative resource parent has met those needs; (b) The history of the current caretaker or relative resource parent in meeting the standards of certification pursuant to OAR 413-200-0301 to 413-200-0396; (c) Any child abuse or neglect reports made to the Department that were assigned for assessment, closed at screening, or documented in the Department’s electronic information system; (d) Recommendations for continued contact with parent, birth relatives, or other significant persons for the child or sibling group under consideration for adoption; and (e) Any other information pertinent to the evaluation of the ability of the current caretaker or relative resource parent to meet the lifelong safety, attachment, and well-being needs of the child or sibling group under consideration. (3) The Department certifier must document in a case note in the provider’s file any specific information the staffing participants determine must be explored in the adoption home study for the current caretaker or relative resource parent. (4) If the current caretaker or relative resource parent lives outside of Oregon, the Department must document in the ICPC request for an adoption home study any specific information the staffing participants determine must be explored in the adoption home study for the current caretaker or relative resource parent.