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D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
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Title 29. PUBLIC WELFARE |
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Chapter 29-16. STANDARDS OF PLACEMENT, CARE AND SERVICES FOR CHILD-PLACING AGENCIES |
Section 29-1623. PRE-PLACEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHILD-PLACING AGENCIES
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1623.1 Prior to placement of a child for adoption, the child-placing agency shall establish through documentary evidence that the child meets one (1) of the following criteria:
(a) The child is legally free for adoption in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia; or
(b) The child is legally able to enter the District of Columbia for adoption in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia.
1623.2 If a family identifies a child for adoption outside of the District of Columbia, the family shall notify a child-placing agency located in the District of Columbia of the identification of the child and of all available information regarding the child. The child-placing agency shall evaluate the information provided on the child and the background of the prospective parents to determine the appropriateness of the placement.
1623.3 After a review of the information provided to the agency, the child-placing agency shall notify the prospective, rents of its assessment of the appropriateness of the placement.
1623.4 If the child is identified by the family in another country, the family shall contact the child-placing agency to provide all information available about the child.
1623.5 The child-placing agency shall notify the family and the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service of its agreement or disagreement with a proposed placement of a child identified in another country.
1623.6 The child-placing agency shall ensure that prior to the placement of the child, the adoptive parents sign a notarized statement of financial responsibility for the expenses for replacement of the child in the event a disruption should occur prior to adoption in the local jurisdiction. The statement shall be placed by the agency in the family’s file.
1623.7 The local child-placing agency shall notify the Department of Human Services of the following:
(a) The date of placement;
(b) The legal status of the child; and
(c) That the statement of financial responsibility has been completed and placed in the agency’s family file.
1623.8 Each child-placing agency shall maintain all adoptive placement agreements in the family records on the family’s acceptance of a child identified for adoption outside the District of Columbia.
1623.9 The child-placing agency shall be notified in all interstate adoptions of the following:
(a) The date of the placement; and
(b) The legal status of the child.