N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:50-5.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 11, June 3, 2024

Section 3A:50-5.7 - Placement services

(a) The agency shall have responsibility for the selection of approved adoptive parents for a child upon successful completion of a home study as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:50-5.6.

1. The agency shall not place a child for adoption before documenting in the child's record the reason(s) for placing the child with the adoptive family.

2. The agency shall document in the child's record efforts to place siblings together in the same adoptive home; if a child is not to be placed together with siblings who are also legally free or who were adopted previously, the agency shall document in the child's record at the time of placement the reasons that co-placement was not in the child's interest or the factors that made co-placement unfeasible.

3. The agency shall give the adoptive parent(s) a written explanation of their rights and responsibilities regarding the child during the supervision period. Such information shall include, but not be limited to, areas of medical care, financial responsibilities, travel outside the state and any areas where the law requires the consent of a parent or guardian.

4. In instances where an agency that is not certified by the Department is involved with a Department-certified agency, both agencies shall share information and reach a mutual decision on each adoptive placement.

5. The agency shall not disqualify any adoptive parent(s) rejected for a particular child from being considered for the adoption of another child, unless basic conflicts about adoption and/or parenting style are revealed, or the adoptive parent(s) are unable to accept the children who are available for adoption through the agency.

(b) The agency shall provide the following information to adoptive parent(s):

1. A written history of the child, including developmental and medical history and reason(s) for surrendering the child. If the child has special needs, the agency shall provide the adoptive applicant(s) with an assessment of the child's long-term needs, along with written information about the availability of subsidy and a list of community resources that provide services to address the child's needs;

2. An explanation that the adoptee may ultimately wish to seek information contained in the permanent record concerning his or her birth family and may in the future attempt to contact the birth family;

3. An explanation that the agency may contact the adoptive parent in the future to convey updated information about the adoptee's birth family; and

4. An explanation of N.J.S.A. 26:8-40.33, which allows adoptees and other approved individuals to have access to original birth certificates and direction on how to obtain additional information from the Department of Health.

(c) The agency shall comply with the following escort and/or transportation requirements:

1. An agency engaged in transporting children for adoption shall ensure that adoptive parents or other escorts who accompany children from a referring agency to their adoptive families are informed of the child's medical needs;

2. An agency that provides or arranges for escort transportation service for children as part of its adoption program shall ensure that no child is left unattended during any portion of the trip to the adoptive family, unless the agency documents in the child's record that the child is physically and emotionally capable of traveling independently;

3. Persons providing children's escort services for an agency shall have a written statement from the agency describing their respective authority and responsibilities and shall carry proper identification, including their name and the agency's name while performing their duties.

i. The agency shall provide escorts with emergency information, names, telephone numbers and appropriate medical supplies and shall arrange for the safe and expeditious transfer of children to their adoptive parent(s) upon arrival.

ii. The agency shall require proof of identification by any person accepting temporary or permanent responsibility for the child's arrival; and

4. The agency shall document the escort and/or transportation plan in the child's record.

N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:50-5.7

Amended by R.1992 d.514, effective 12/21/1992.
See: 24 N.J.R. 3500(a), 24 N.J.R. 4552(a).
"Approved" adoptive parents specified.
Amended by R.2011 d.245, effective 10/3/2011.
See: 42 N.J.R. 1965(a), 43 N.J.R. 2600(a).
In (a)4, substituted "Department" for "Bureau" twice.
Amended by R.2016 d.052, effective 6/6/2016.
See: 47 N.J.R. 3078(a), 48 N.J.R. 103(a), 48 N.J.R. 965(a).
In (b)1, inserted "adoptive"; in (b)2, deleted "and" from the end; in (b)3, substituted "; and" for a period; and added (b)4.