6900 Adoption Preparation and Support Services
CPS September 2026
DFPS and SSCCs provide adoption services, regardless of age, race, or disability, when either of the following applies:
- A child in DFPS’s managing conservatorship needs to be adopted.
- A district court appoints DFPS or an SSCC to complete a social study when a petition is filed to adopt a child.
DFPS and SSCCs also provide selected adoption services to children in the managing conservatorship of other states when DFPS receives requests for services under the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
6910 Planning for a Child’s Adoption
CPS September 2026
The first step in planning for a child’s adoption is assessing the child’s readiness to be adopted. To assess the child’s readiness, the child’s primary caseworker must do both of the following:
- Review the child’s case record (which includes the birth family’s case record).
- Interview the following people:
- The child.
- The child’s siblings.
- The child’s substitute caregiver.
- Educational, medical, and mental health professionals who have worked with the child.
- When appropriate, other individuals who have significant relationships with the child.
The objectives of the DFPS or SSCC caseworker’s case record review and personal interviews are to do all of the following:
- Verify that the child is legally free for adoption.
- Assess the child’s emotional and psychological readiness for adoptive placement.
- Assess the child’s needs and determine what parenting characteristics will meet them.
- Assess the child’s need for placement with his or her siblings.
- Support preparation of the Health, Social, Educational, and Genetic History (HSEGH) Form 6921.
- Develop information for recruiting adoptive parents.
6911 Completing the Health, Social, Educational, and Genetic History (HSEGH) Report
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must complete a health, social, educational, and genetic history (HSEGH) report before placing a child for adoption with anyone other than the following relatives of the child:
- Stepparent.
- Grandparent.
- Aunt or uncle by birth, marriage, or prior adoption.
The HSEGH is intended to be a central repository for all known health, social, educational, and genetic history of a child for whom DFPS or an SSCC is attempting to find an adoptive placement. DFPS or the SSCC uses it to provide potential adoptive parents with information about the child’s history and needs.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must complete an initial HSEGH report and ensure that the licensed child-placing agency receives a copy no later than 45 days after the date that all parental rights to the child were terminated or the date the primary permanency goal is changed to adoption, whichever occurs last.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must update the report with new information about the child or the child’s placement needs. At a minimum, the primary caseworker must update the report at the following times:
- Every 24 months if an adoptive placement has not occurred.
- Within three months before an adoptive placement is made.
6912 Completing the Adoption Readiness Summary (ARS)
CPS September 2026
The Adoption Readiness Summary (ARS) Form 2647 is designed to assess the child’s psychological readiness for adoption. It also contains information about the child’s eligibility for adoption assistance.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must complete the ARS within three months before an adoptive placement is made.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must include a copy of the ARS in the case record.
The DFPS or SSCC primary caseworker’s supervisor must sign and date the completed HSEGH report and the ARS.
6913 Preparing the Child
CPS September 2026
A DFPS or SSCC caseworker must begin preparing the child for adoption at least three months before placing the child with a prospective adoptive family. Ordinarily, the child’s caregiver helps the DFPS or SSCC caseworker prepare the child.
The purposes of preparing the child for adoption are to do the following:
- Help the child understand the termination of his or her parents’ parental rights.
- Help the child understand and accept adoption.
- Involve the child in planning for the adoption.
- Help the child adjust to the adoption.
- Reduce disruption of the adoption.
The preparation must be based on the child’s needs. It must include helping the child to do the following:
- Know and understand himself or herself and his or her history.
- Understand the difference between biological, foster, and adoptive parents.
- Express hopes and fears about adoption, including fears of disruption.
- Separate from people he or she is close to, and grieve their loss.
- Form new attachments.
- Work on his or her “life book” in order to address issues of separation and attachment.
- As appropriate, make a plan for contact with siblings, other family members, and other significant persons.
Preparation for children younger than age 5 must include as many of the items in this section as are appropriate, based on the child’s age and intellectual level.
6913.1 Documentation
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document the process of preparing the child in the child’s case record.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document in the child’s record any items not addressed with the child during preparation for adoption and the reason for not addressing each item.
6914 Professional Assessments
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC primary caseworker must ensure the child or youth has received required professional assessments before adoptive placement. The extent of the professional assessment that is required depends on the age, history, and special needs of the child or youth. The professional assessment must always include a medical examination by a licensed physician.
If the child is 0 to 18 months old, the professional assessment must also include an evaluation by a professional who is credentialed in the area that is appropriate to the child’s needs if either of the following applies:
- There is history of abuse, neglect, or failure to thrive.
- The child has a physical or mental disability or developmental delay.
If the child is older than 18 months, the assessment must include an evaluation by a licensed psychiatrist, psychologist, or other appropriately licensed or credentialed professional.
Required assessments must have occurred within a certain amount of time before the adoptive placement. The required time frame depends on the child’s age, as follows:
- 30 days of placement if the child is younger than 18 months.
- Three months of placement if the child is 18 months to 4 years old.
- Six months of placement if the child is 5 years old or older.
DFPS or the SSCC must provide any testing that an assessment recommends for the child or youth. DFPS or the SSCC must document the assessments and results in IMPACT and OneCase/NeuDocs. If professional assessments have been completed since the child was placed in the home, DFPS or the SSCC is not required to repeat them.
6915 Preparing the Child’s Records for Presentation to Prospective Adoptive Parents
CPS September 2026
Texas law requires that DFPS or the SSCC provide prospective adoptive parents the opportunity to examine a redacted copy of the case records before the adoptive placement.
A prospective adoptive parent must sign a nondisclosure agreement before DFPS, an SSCC, a licensed child-placing agency, or another person placing the child for adoption may release confidential information.
Case Record Redaction
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must prepare the child’s case record for redaction, according to DFPS Records Management Group (RMG) protocol, once all parental rights are terminated.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must do the following:
- Ensure the file is up to date before redaction.
- Ensure all external documents are scanned.
- Make the redacted record available for review by the child-placing agency (CPA) and prospective adoptive family within 90 calendar days of the date the CPA or prospective adoptive family requests the record.
Confidentiality of Records
DFPS or the SSCC does not release these records to prospective or selected adoptive parents until after the adoption is consummated. Arrangements must be made for prospective or selected parents to read and review the records in a DFPS, SSCC, or CPA office.
6920 Selecting an Adoptive Family
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must make a concentrated effort to find a prospective adoptive family for the child after the court terminates the child’s parents’ parental rights.
When a DFPS or SSCC caseworker does not find a prospective adoptive family for the child within the first 60 days, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must register the child on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE).
DFPS or the SSCC may place a child with a family that is dual-licensed as both a foster and adoptive home, on a foster care basis, before parental rights are terminated. These are known as “legal risk” placements. In legal risk placements, procedures include steps for selecting the prospective family and providing the opportunity for adequate pre-placement visits consistent with good adoption practices. See 6938 Legal Risk Adoptive Homes.
Before DFPS or the SSCC signs the adoptive placement agreement with the prospective adoptive family, DFPS or SSCC caseworkers must have done all of the following:
- Completed the child’s health, social, education, and genetic history (HSEGH) report.
- Determined that the child is emotionally prepared for an adoptive placement.
- De-identified the child’s case record to share with the family’s child-placing agency (CPA) to review with the prospective adoptive family.
Regional Recruitment Efforts
DFPS or the SSCC uses regional recruitment efforts to target and identify prospective adoptive home matches for a child or youth during the first 60 days after an order for termination of parental rights (TPR).
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must use the Adoption Inquiries contact option in IMPACT to develop a running list of recruitment activities, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Email broadcasts.
- Match events.
- Heart Gallery photographs.
- Television segments.
- TARE registration and updates.
This list must be updated at least monthly.
Reviewing Home Studies
Designated staff must review each family’s home study within 30 days of receipt. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document in the child or youth’s case record all home studies received and reviewed. After the child or youth’s primary caseworker narrows the pool of families, the supervisor or director reviews the remaining home studies.
Documenting Adoption Inquiries
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must use the Adoption Inquiries contact option in IMPACT to develop a running list of inquiries. This list must include inquiries received through TARE and those received independently from TARE. This list must be updated at least monthly.
Providing Home Studies to a CASA
If a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) is appointed to a child’s case, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must provide the advocate and the CASA supervisor with an opportunity to review the home studies of the families under consideration for adoption.
Providing the HSEGH Report
When a DFPS or SSCC caseworker has selected possible families, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must provide a redacted copy of the child’s health, social, educational, and genetic history (HSEGH) report to each family’s child-placing agency (CPA) to review with the family. DFPS or the SSCC must provide this copy to each family’s CPA before the selection meeting or within 48 hours after the selection meeting. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must ensure that each licensed CPA, SSCC, or other person or entity placing a child for adoption receives a copy of any portion of the report prepared by DFPS, the SSCC, or contractors.
6921 Issues to Consider When Selecting an Adoptive Home
CPS September 2026
The Child’s Best Interest
The main concern in selecting an adoptive home for a child is the child’s best interest. To that end, DFPS or the SSCC bases each placement on an informed evaluation and understanding of the child’s needs and on the adoptive family’s understanding of and potential for meeting those needs.
DFPS or the SSCC seeks to address the best interest of children through placements in families with a caregiver who can protect, parent, and nurture abused and neglected children. Both married couples and single people are eligible to be foster and adoptive parents and must meet the same requirements for protecting and nurturing children.
Race, Color, and National Origin
Federal law prohibits the use of race, color, or national origin (RCNO) as a factor in selecting a placement, with extremely limited exceptions. The RCNO of a child or of a potential foster or adoptive family should not be a factor in selecting a placement, except in rare situations in which staff can document compelling individualized circumstances that make this necessary.
Texas law mandates compliance with this federal law. If a biological parent requests selection of a child’s placement based on RCNO, DFPS or SSCC staff must explain that this is prohibited by federal law. This does not negate a caseworker’s responsibility to assess cultural needs of children related to race, color, and national origin.
For further guidance on this complex issue, staff should consult the regional attorney.
Continued Contact with Foster Parents
DFPS or SSCC caseworkers must consider the appropriateness of continuing the foster parents’ relationship with the child through adoption, when the foster parents have made a request to adopt the child.
Placement with Siblings
DFPS or SSCC caseworkers must consider the child’s need for placement with siblings.
In providing adoptive services, DFPS or the SSCC makes reasonable efforts to keep siblings together and, whenever possible, to keep siblings in the same adoptive home.
Child’s or Youth’s Adoptive Home Preference
DFPS or SSCC caseworkers must consider the child’s or youth’s preferences in an adoptive home.
Adoptive Family’s Awareness
DFPS or SSCC caseworkers must consider the family’s understanding and awareness of the following issues:
- Recognition of and sensitivity to any social or adjustment challenges a particular child may face, including those related to the child’s culture and trauma history.
- Awareness of the kinds of situations that might affect a child’s self-esteem as he or she grows through different developmental levels.
- The child’s history and beliefs that are different from those of his or her adoptive family.
Other Issues to Consider When Selecting an Adoptive Home
DFPS or SSCC caseworkers must also consider the following factors:
- The child’s known or predicted needs for special services after the adoptive placement, including therapy or special medical care.
- The prospective adoptive family’s ability and willingness to adapt its discipline practices to the child’s needs.
- The personalities, temperaments, and lifestyles of the child and of the adoptive family.
- The family’s ability to accept and develop the child’s intellectual and scholastic capabilities.
- The family’s ability to accept and provide for the child’s religious beliefs and practices.
- The family’s plan for protecting the child’s health if, for religious reasons, the family does not believe in medical care.
- The family’s ability and willingness to accept and raise the child.
- The family’s commitment to ensuring that the child has a permanent placement.
6922 Time Frames Related to Termination of Parental Rights
CPS September 2026
Adoption Activities and Termination of Parental Rights
An adoption cannot be consummated until 90 days following termination of parental rights, to allow all relatives 90 days to file suit. Staff must continue to complete adoption-related activities throughout the 90 days following termination of parental rights.
If the biological parents have filed an appeal of the termination of parental rights, the child is not legally free for adoption. The child cannot be placed in an adoptive placement or have an adoption consummated. In these situations, a legal-risk placement may be appropriate if DFPS or the SSCC has selected a prospective adoptive family for the child.
Assessing the Relative’s Family After Termination of Parental Rights
If, in the 90-day period after termination of parental rights (TPR), one of the eligible relatives comes forward and asks DFPS or the SSCC to complete his or her pre-adoptive home screening or files a suit in the case, and there has not been a court ruling, staff do all of the following:
- Determine whether it would be in the child’s best interest to be placed with the relative.
- Assess whether the family would be a safe and appropriate permanent placement for the child.
- Complete a pre-adoptive home screening on the relative, if appropriate.
6923 Adoption by Foster Parents
CPS September 2026
When the following conditions are satisfied, it is appropriate for the child’s foster parents to adopt the child:
- The foster home appears to be a good prospective adoptive home for the child.
- The foster parents are qualified and approved for an adoptive placement.
- The foster parents understand the psychological and legal differences between foster and adoptive parenting, and they want to accept a lifetime commitment as adoptive parents rather than a commitment as foster parents.
- It is in the best interest of the child to continue the child’s relationship with the foster parents through adoption.
When DFPS or the SSCC approves the permanency plan for foster-parent adoption, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker gives the foster parents written notice that the plan has been approved.
DFPS or the SSCC terminates the foster parents’ eligibility for foster care reimbursement when they sign Adoptive Placement Agreement Form 2226.
6924 Adoptive Homes Located by Private Child-Placing Agencies
CPS September 2026
Before selecting an adoptive home that a private child-placing agency located, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must ensure that the family has an approved adoption home study with applicable criminal history checks. If there are other people age 14 or older also living in the home, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must also ensure that they have applicable criminal history checks.
6925 Adoptive Homes in Other States
CPS September 2026
Before selecting an adoptive home in another state, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must explore whether an appropriate adoptive home is available in Texas. In some instances, recruitment efforts in Texas and in another state should occur concurrently. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker evaluates the circumstances of each child’s case to determine whether concurrent recruitment is appropriate and necessary.
If a child is placed out of state, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document the following information in the child’s case record:
- Efforts made to place the child in Texas.
- Reasons for making the out-of-state placement.
For a child to be placed out of state, the court order must show the court’s determination that the out-of-state placement is appropriate and in the best interest of the child.
An out-of-state home must be approved for adoption by an agency that is licensed or certified to approve adoptive home studies in the state where the home is located.
6926 Considering the Need for Adoption Assistance
CPS September 2026
Before placing a child in an adoptive home that needs adoption assistance (formerly known as an adoption subsidy), DFPS or the SSCC must try to place the child without adoption assistance.
To this end, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must do the following:
- Register the child on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange, unless the child is being adopted by his or her foster parents or other persons whom the child knows.
- Document in the child’s record the child’s need for adoption assistance and the caseworker’s efforts to place the child without adoption assistance.
- Discuss the following with the prospective adoptive parents:
- Their legal responsibility, as parents, to provide for the adopted child.
- Their need for adoption assistance.
- Their immediate and long-term plans for supporting the child if adoption assistance is not available.
For detailed information about adoption assistance, see 14000 Foster Care Assistance, Permanency Care Assistance, and Adoption Assistance .
6927 Adoption by Military Families Both in the United States and Outside the United States
CPS September 2026
In a suit for adoption, the court, or any person performing a social study or home screening, may not consider the fact that a prospective adoptive parent is a member of the armed forces of the United States, a member of the Texas National Guard or the National Guard of another state, or a member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, as a negative factor in determining whether the adoption is in the best interest of the child or whether the person would be a suitable parent.
DFPS and SSCCs support adoptive placement of children with military families when the family can meet the child’s needs. Military families often have access to services that support an adoptive placement. These include comprehensive health care, child development programs, family advocacy, and other social service programs. The military community often serves as an extended family to its members and offers structure.
When considering a military family, whether in the United States or not, for adoption of a child, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker and supervisor must consider the following situations and their impact on the child and prospective family:
- The possibility of a transfer from the family’s current station or base before consummating the adoption.
- The likelihood of an assignment where one parent is assigned to a duty station and the family remains behind, that is, the parent is deployed to a battle zone and the family remains behind.
- The availability of services for the child and family, especially if the family moves or lives overseas.
- If the family is stationed overseas, whether there are sufficient supports to help the family meet the child’s needs.
- Plans to meet the child’s medical needs before consummation, as Medicaid coverage is not available outside the United States.
- The impact of any family relocation on the child’s need to maintain contact with biological siblings or other family members.
- Plans for the child’s return to care if the adoption disrupts.
6928 Legal Risk Adoptive Homes
CPS September 2026
Each DFPS region or SSCC catchment area must maintain a list of child placing agencies (CPAs) with dual-licensed foster and adoptive homes willing to accept children who are in foster care and have a high likelihood of becoming available for adoption. This type of placement is called a legal risk adoptive placement.
6928.1 Requirements for Dual-Licensed Parents
CPS September 2026
The dual-licensed adoptive parents must meet all requirements for foster and adoptive parents (such as home study, Minimum Standards requirements, mutual assessment process, and so on).
DFPS or an SSCC does not consider military service in a negative light when preparing a foster and adoption home study or a social study.
The dual-licensed adoptive parents must be willing to sign the foster care agreement, which specifies that DFPS or the SSCC may remove the child from the home if DFPS or the SSCC determines it is in the best interest of the child.
DFPS or the SSCC must have made an assessment of the age, sex, and special needs of the sort of child the family is best able to parent.
6928.2 Requirements for Children
CPS September 2026
To qualify for a legal risk adoptive placement, the child must meet the following requirements:
- DFPS or the SSCC has determined that the plan for the child is adoption.
- A staff person at the DFPS program director or SSCC director level and an attorney have reviewed the child’s case and determined that termination of parental rights is more than 75 percent likely to occur based on the facts in the case.
- The DFPS or SSCC Legal division agrees that the child is appropriate for a legal risk placement.
6928.3 Requirements for the Match
CPS September 2026
To match a family with a child for a legal risk adoptive placement, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker does the following:
- Assesses families who are dual-licensed for fostering and adopting for their ability to parent a child of the age, sex, and special needs of the child being placed.
- Makes an initial selection of five or fewer qualified families.
- Reviews the case to determine whether there are factors that make a particular family more qualified to take a child than the other families.
- Discusses (staffs) the initial selection of families with the supervisor.
- Chooses a family to present at the presentation staffing.
6929 Presentation Staffing
CPS September 2026
After reviewing the home studies of the prospective adoptive families, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must arrange a meeting, known as a presentation staffing. The following people participate in this meeting:
- DFPS or SSCC staff.
- The child’s court-appointed special advocate (CASA).
- Persons outside DFPS, such as foster parents and therapists.
Foster parents, therapists, and others not employed by DFPS or the SSCC often have first-hand knowledge of a child’s needs and the skills required for a family to best meet those needs. DFPS or SSCC staff must therefore consider including people not employed by DFPS or the SSCC in the child’s adoption staffing team.
6929.1 Conducting Separate Parts of a Presentation Staffing to Discuss the Child and the Potential Adoptive Families
CPS September 2026
DFPS or the SSCC must conduct separate meetings, or separate parts of a meeting, to discuss the child and to discuss potential adoptive families.
6929.2 Confidentiality
CPS September 2026
During the meeting or part of the meeting that discusses issues related to the child, participants must not discuss information about specific families when persons not employed by DFPS or the SSCC are present. This is to ensure the privacy of potential adoptive families.
To protect the confidentiality and privacy of prospective adoptive families, only the following people may be present during the meeting or part of the meeting that discusses issues related to the adoptive families:
- The DFPS or SSCC caseworker.
- The DFPS or SSCC caseworker’s supervisor.
- The adoption caseworker.
- The supervisor of the adoption caseworker.
- Adoption professionals from private child-placing agencies who represent potential adoptive families.
- The CASA volunteer.
- The CASA’s supervisor.
6929.3 Discussion of the Child
CPS September 2026
The purpose of the first meeting, or first part of the meeting, held after reviewing the home studies of potential adoptive families, is to discuss both of the following:
- The child’s needs.
- The strengths required for a potential adoptive family to meet the child’s needs.
When possible, the following persons attend:
- DFPS or SSCC staff.
- The child’s foster parents.
- The child’s therapist.
- The court-appointed special advocate (CASA).
- The CASA’s supervisor.
- Others who are not DFPS or SSCC employees.
6929.4 Discussion of the Potential Adoptive Families
CPS September 2026
The second meeting, or second part of the meeting, is held to discuss the various adoptive families who are under consideration.
Participants do one of the following:
- Select and approve one family as an appropriate adoptive family for the child.
- Determine that none of the available families appear able to meet the child’s long-term needs.
When possible, the following persons attend:
- The DFPS or SSCC caseworker.
- The DFPS or SSCC caseworker’s supervisor.
- The adoption caseworker.
- The supervisor of the adoption caseworker.
- Adoption professionals from private child-placing agencies who represent potential adoptive families.
- The CASA volunteer.
- The CASA’s supervisor.
6929.5 Confirming Selection of a Prospective Adoptive Family
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker and supervisor, as well as the family’s child-placing agency, must approve the selection of a prospective adoptive family.
6929.6 Requirements for Adoptive Families
CPS September 2026
DFPS or SSCC caseworkers must ensure that each child’s placement is approved and meets the requirements for adoptive placement in the Residential Child Care Regulation program’s Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies.
6929.7 When No Prospective Adoptive Family Is Available
CPS September 2026
When a staffing determines that none of the available families are able to meet the child’s long-term needs, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must do all of the following:
- Register the child on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE), if legally free for adoption.
- Continue regional recruitment efforts.
- Continue to confer with the adoption services unit whenever the unit forwards new home studies for consideration by the adoption caseworker.
6930 Presenting and Placing the Child for Adoption
6931 Presenting Information About the Child
CPS September 2026
Before introducing a child to prospective adoptive parents, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker gives the parents information about the child to help them assess their willingness and ability to parent the child and decide whether to proceed with the placement.
6931.1 Sharing the HSEGH Report with the Prospective Adoptive Family, Child-Placing Agency, Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC), or Other Person or Entity Placing a Child for Adoption
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must present the redacted copy of the health, social, education, and genetic history (HSEGH) report to the prospective adoptive parents within 48 hours after the presentation staffing.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must also ensure that each licensed child-placing agency, single source continuum contractor (SSCC), or other person or entity placing a child for adoption receives a copy of any portion of the report prepared by DFPS or its contractors.
6931.2 Documenting That Prospective Adoptive Parents Have Received the HSEGH Report
CPS September 2026
To document that the prospective adoptive parents have received the redacted health, social, education, and genetic history (HSEGH) report and discussed its contents with the primary caseworker, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must have the prospective adoptive parents do both of the following:
- Initial each page of the report.
- Sign and date the last page of a DFPS or SSCC copy of the report when the prospective adoptive parents receive it.
Both the original HSEGH report and the redacted copy that the prospective adoptive parents signed and initialed must be kept in the child’s case record. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must write a specific description of how the HSEGH report was shared and what was discussed.
6931.3 Sharing Other DFPS Records with the Prospective Adoptive Parents
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must inform the prospective adoptive parents of their right to examine redacted copies of records and other information relating to the history of the child or youth before they decide whether to proceed with the placement.
If the prospective adoptive parents initially decide to proceed with the placement after review of the health, social, education, and genetic history (HSEGH) report and any other information that DFPS or the SSCC has provided, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must then give the prospective adoptive parents an opportunity to review DFPS or SSCC records of the child or youth’s history. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must provide the prospective adoptive parents 10 calendar days to review the records. This review must take place before the child or youth is placed with the prospective adoptive parents.
Prospective adoptive parents review redacted versions of the following sections of the case record:
- The Child section.
- The Family section.
- The Sibling section, but only medical information and only regarding siblings included in the same legal case.
- The Legal section.
- Case Narratives.
- Previous investigations, including any investigations conducted by Residential Child Care Investigations in which the child to be adopted was an alleged or designated perpetrator or victim.
DFPS or the SSCC does not give the prospective adoptive parents a copy of these records to keep until the adoption is consummated.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document the prospective adoptive parents’ review of DFPS’s or the SSCC’s records of the child’s history by using the Verification of Reading a Redacted Record Form 2223 and uploading a signed copy into OneCase/NeuDocs.
Once the DFPS or SSCC caseworker completes the Adoption Readiness Summary Form 2647, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must provide the prospective adoptive parents with a copy of Form 2647 for review.
6931.4 Providing Adoptive Parents with Access to Research
CPS September 2026
If the prospective adoptive parents indicate, after reviewing the contents of the HSEGH, that they want to proceed with the adoption, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must provide the prospective adoptive parents with access to research on underlying health issues and other conditions of trauma that could impact child development and permanency. This research may be suggested reading materials and websites on how any known health issue that the child has and any trauma the child has experienced (for example, abuse or neglect) may impact child development and the family’s ability to maintain permanency.
See the Adoption Resource Guide.
6931.5 Refusal to Review the Child’s Records
CPS September 2026
If the prospective adoptive parents refuse to review the child’s records, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must confer with the DFPS or SSCC supervisor to discuss their capacity to meet the child’s needs. The primary caseworker must document this discussion in the case record.
If the DFPS or SSCC caseworker and DFPS or SSCC supervisor agree to proceed with the placement, the prospective adoptive parents must sign a statement documenting their refusal to review the child’s records. However, if the prospective adoptive parents refuse to review the child’s record, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must still provide a copy of the redacted record to the adoptive family at the time of consummation.
6932 Deciding Not to Proceed with a Placement
CPS September 2026
If any party (the parents, DFPS, or the SSCC) decides not to proceed with the placement, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document it in the child’s case record.
6933 Preparing the Family and the Child for the Placement
CPS September 2026
If the prospective adoptive family and DFPS or the SSCC decide to proceed with the placement after the family has received the HSEGH report and reviewed DFPS or SSCC records of the child’s history, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker and the prospective adoptive family’s DFPS Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) worker or CPA case manager must take the following actions:
- If the child has a disability or is receiving treatment services from an external provider, encourage the prospective adoptive parents to talk with the provider or providers (for example, the child’s physician, psychiatrist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech therapist) in order to understand the implications of the child’s disability or need for treatment. The child’s DFPS or SSCC adoption caseworker must do both of the following:
- Attend the prospective adoptive parents’ meetings with the provider.
- Document the information shared in the meetings in the child’s case record and the FAD stage, if applicable.
- Discuss the college tuition waiver (if the child will be eligible).
- Discuss how the prospective adoptive parents plan to deal with any behavioral, functional, or medical problems that the child may develop in the future. The caseworkers must document this discussion in both the child’s and the adoptive family’s records.
- Discuss with the family the services the child and family may receive after placement to ensure the placement’s success.
- Discuss the frequency and nature of post-placement contacts between DFPS or the SSCC and the family.
- Arrange for the child and family to meet each other if they have not already done so.
- Schedule as many pre-placement visits as necessary to promote a smooth transition for both the child and family. At least one of the visits must take place overnight in the adoptive family’s home, unless the court orders otherwise.
- Work with the child around resolving fears and concerns about the placement. Engage a trauma-informed therapist, as needed, to assist in this process.
- Help the prospective adoptive family resolve its fears and concerns about the child, the child’s background, the placement, and the parents’ ability to raise the child.
- Work with the adoptive family and the child to determine how the family will help the child to maintain connections with people he or she is close to while providing trauma-informed therapeutic supports to help the child navigate losses inherent to the placement process.
- Tell the adoptive family how to apply for adoption assistance and document the discussion in the case record. For detailed information about adoption assistance, see 14000 Foster Care Assistance, Permanency Care Assistance, and Adoption Assistance .
- Document all activities and discussions as contacts in the child’s case record.
6934 Completing the Placement
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker who places the child must carry out the following tasks with the adoptive family at the time of the child’s placement.
6934.1 Providing Continuing Access to the Child’s Records
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must advise the adoptive parents in writing that DFPS or the SSCC will give them continuing access to a complete, redacted copy of the child’s history records. Those records include the child’s own case record and those parts of family and sibling case records that pertain to the child’s history or are significant to his or her health and development.
After the prospective adoptive parents’ initial review of those records, DFPS or the SSCC restricts subsequent access to times and frequencies that are reasonable for both DFPS or SSCC staff and the family. Like the initial review, subsequent reviews must take place in supervised settings with qualified staff available to answer questions.
DFPS or the SSCC gives the prospective adoptive parents continuing access to redacted copies of the child’s records in order to help them develop a deeper understanding of the child’s history after the child has been placed with them. DFPS or the SSCC also encourages the parents to confer with the primary caseworker about the child’s history after the child has been placed with them.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document in the case record all of the information discussed with the family regarding the child’s history, needs, problems, and potential.
6934.2 Providing Written Consent to Secure Medical Services for the Child
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker transfers medical consent to the adoptive parents by completing the Designation of Medical Consenter Form 2085B and having the family sign it.
6934.3 Providing Information about Using the Child’s New Adoptive Name and Its Possible Impact on Medicaid
CPS September 2026
Before discussing with the adoptive family the use of the child’s new adoptive name and its possible impact on Medicaid, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must confirm whether the child or youth is receiving Social Security benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits. The eligibility specialist, billing coordinator, or adoption assistance negotiator should be able to provide this information. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document the discussions with the other staff on the Contacts page in IMPACT.
6934.31 If the Child Is Not Receiving Social Security Benefits
CPS September 2026
If the child is not receiving Social Security benefits, then at the time of the adoptive placement, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker explains to the adoptive family that they can begin using the child’s new adoptive name. However, due to Medicaid processing time, it may take several weeks or up to 60 days for the Medicaid card to reflect the new name.
6934.32 If the Child Is Receiving Social Security Benefits
CPS September 2026
If the child is receiving Social Security benefits, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker explains to the adoptive family that, to avoid problems with the child’s Medicaid eligibility, the child’s Medicaid card will continue to show the child’s birth name until after the adoption is consummated. From the time of the adoptive placement, and until the adoption is consummated, they can use the child’s adoptive name only for non-Medicaid purposes.
6934.4 Informing the Adoptive Family of the Availability of Continuing Services
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must inform the prospective adoptive parents of the services available to support the adoption, including counseling services and support groups.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must also provide the prospective adoptive parents with information about the options available if the adoptive parents become unable to care for the adopted child, including the following:
- Legal transfer of custody to a relative.
- Seeking a private adoption.
- Working with the parents’ post-adoption services provider about the possibility of post-adoption substitute care.
- Working with the child-placing agency that placed the child for adoption regarding any additional services.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must inform the prospective adoptive parents that it is illegal to transfer the custody of an adopted child to a person, unless one of the following applies:
- The person to whom custody is being transferred is a biological or adoptive relative or stepparent of the child or an adult who has a significant long-standing relationship with the child.
- The transfer of custody is a formal transfer of custody of the child through a court.
See DFPS Adoption Support Programs.
6934.5 Providing the Child’s Personal Documents
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must give the adoptive parents photographs of the child and personal documents, such as life books, pictures, and memorabilia, that may help the child understand his or her past and adjust to the adoption.
However, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must not give the adoptive parents photographs that were taken to document the child’s abuse or neglect.
6934.6 Discussing the Adoptive Placement Agreement
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker discusses each item on the Adoptive Placement Agreement Form 2226 with the adoptive parents and has them sign it.
6934.61 Completing the Placement Summary
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker completes the Placement Summary Form 2279 when the child goes to live with a new caregiver at the time of adoptive placement, such as with a matched adoptive placement.
It is not necessary to complete this form if the child is already living with the caregiver when the placement becomes an adoptive placement, such as with an adoption by the child’s foster parents.
6934.7 Arranging to Forward the Child’s Income and Records
CPS September 2026
Forwarding Income
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker arranges for any income DFPS receives for the child to be forwarded to the adoptive parents.
Providing Records to Professionals and School
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker arranges for redacted copies of the child’s medical, therapeutic, and educational records to be provided to the adoptive family’s doctor, therapist, and school.
6934.8 Updating Adoption and TARE Records
CPS September 2026
Within two business days after the DFPS or SSCC caseworker places the child for adoption, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker takes the following actions:
- Notifies the foster care eligibility specialist that the child has been placed for adoption.
- Notifies the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) coordinator of the child’s placement with the family if the child is registered on TARE.
- Notifies other adoption exchanges about the placement if the child is registered on any such exchanges.
Following the consummation of the child’s adoption and prior to closing the child’s case in IMPACT, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker uploads the adoption home assessment and background checks to OneCase/NeuDocs under the Adoption tab.
6934.9 Receiving Documents Back from a Canceled Placement
CPS September 2026
If the adoptive placement is canceled or disrupted, the DFPS or SSCC adoption caseworker makes reasonable efforts to have the adoptive parents return the following to DFPS or the SSCC:
- Their copy of the health, social, education, and genetic history (HSEGH) report.
- All other written information that DFPS or the SSCC has released to them about the child’s history.
6935 Making Adoptive Placements in Other Regions
CPS September 2026
When DFPS or the SSCC Places a Child Outside the Region
When a DFPS or SSCC caseworker places a child in an adoptive home that is outside of the region that has conservatorship, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker or supervisor follows the procedures in 6330 Services to Children and Parents Across Regional Lines.
Documenting Contacts in IMPACT
DFPS or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) staff must document monthly face-to-face contacts, including the location of the contacts, upon receiving the information from the caseworker who is providing the adoption preparation courtesy supervision.
Closing Adoption Cases That Cross Regional Lines
When a child has been placed in an adoptive home across regional lines, and it is appropriate to close the case, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker receiving the child for placement and the DFPS or SSCC primary caseworker takes the following steps:
- The receiving caseworker must provide the DFPS or SSCC primary caseworker with copies of any documents that the DFPS or SSCC primary caseworker does not already possess.
- The DFPS or SSCC primary caseworker must follow the procedures for closing a case in the ADO (Adoption) stage in IMPACT.
- The DFPS or SSCC receiving caseworker must follow procedures for closing a case in the FAD (Foster or Adoption) stage in IMPACT.
6936 Making Placements in Other States
CPS September 2026
Before placing a child for adoption in another state, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker or supervisor must:
- Obtain written approval for the out-of-state travel from the DFPS regional director (or regional director’s designee) or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) equivalent and the DFPS Deputy Director for Field Operations.
- Verify that the home has an approved home study in compliance with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), and that criminal record checks were completed before the child’s placement.
- Obtain, from the court with jurisdiction over the child, approval to place the child for adoption out of state.
Note: Whenever possible, the primary caseworker must secure the court’s approval in writing. If the judge approves an out-of-state placement verbally, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker or supervisor must:
- Notify the child’s attorney or guardian ad litem prior to placing the child in another state.
- Obtain the approval of the Interstate Compact authority. To do so, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker follows the procedures in the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) Resource Guide. To prevent delays, the caseworker initiates those procedures when DFPS or the SSCC first begins to consider an out-of-state placement.
If the placement is made through a private child-placing agency, the regional contract manager must execute the contract before the preplacement visits begin.
6937 Making Placements in Other Countries
CPS September 2026
A child should not be placed in an adoptive placement outside of the United States unless there is a prior relationship between the child and family. Making placements out of the country has implications for a child’s eligibility for state and federal support services.
When considering a family who is either living out of the country or who will be moving out of the country during the supervision period, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker or supervisor must determine the extent of the prior relationship with the prospective adoptive family.
If the DFPS or SSCC caseworker or supervisor determines that the child has a significant relationship with the prospective adoptive family, and it is in the best interest of the child to continue that relationship with the adoptive family, then the DFPS or SSCC caseworker:
- Informs the prospective adoptive parents of the limitations for medical assistance and other support services to the child and determines how the child’s medical needs will be met when the child moves.
- Requires the family to arrange for supervision of the adoption (such as with a military social caseworker if the family lives on a base).
- Obtains information regarding the country where the family will be living and services available to the child, and if the family is able to meet the child’s short- and long-term needs.
- Requests written approval from the court with jurisdiction. If this approval is obtained, the primary caseworker obtains written approval from the Associate Commissioner of DFPS or designee.
6940 Supporting and Consummating the Adoption
6941 Supporting the Adoptive Placement
CPS September 2026
DFPS’s Continuing Legal Responsibility
When a child under the managing conservatorship of DFPS is placed for adoption, DFPS remains legally responsible for the child until the adoption is consummated.
6941.1 Developing an Adoption Services Plan
CPS September 2026
Once a child is placed in an adoptive placement, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker ensures the services identified on the Adoption Services Plan are being provided to the child and adoptive family by the adoptive family’s child placing agency.
6941.11 Objectives of an Adoption Services Plan
CPS September 2026
DFPS or a single source continuum contractor (SSCC) provides services under the adoption services plan to help the:
- Adoptive family and the child adjust to the adoption.
- Child understand his or her personal background and the reason for the adoption.
- Adoptive parents and their attorney consummate the adoption.
The adoption plan helps the family adjust by giving the adoptive parents an opportunity to:
- Identify and express any doubts or concerns they have about raising the child.
- Identify and obtain the support services they may need to raise the child.
- Identify and obtain services that the child needs.
- Develop and formally establish appropriate methods of discipline.
The plan also allows the DFPS or SSCC caseworker to note any changes in the adoptive family’s health, financial condition, or composition that may affect the child’s well-being.
6941.12 Establishing the Adoption Services Plan
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must establish an adoption services plan no more than 30 days after placing the child for adoption.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker develops the plan with input from the:
- Adoptive family.
- Child, if the child can understand and participate.
- Child’s conservatorship caseworker.
The adoption services plan must identify the:
- Services needed by the child and family.
- Possible resources for securing the services.
- Methods of discipline suited to the child’s needs.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must maintain the adoption plan in IMPACT. In the Child Plan Guide Topics section of the Child Plan Detail page, the primary caseworker must:
- Review and record information about service planning (including the progress made in addressing a child’s needs, any newly identified needs, and the plans made to address the newly identified needs).
- Ensure that the information recorded addresses the specific issues identified by the prompts for each guide topic.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must also ensure that the service plan complies with applicable program standards and federal law.
Although it is the adoptive family’s child placing agency who is responsible for providing the services required by the adoption services plan, sometimes the DFPS or SSCC caseworker is responsible. In either case, until the adoption is consummated, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker that manages the child’s case and maintains the child’s case record is responsible for the child’s well-being and service-planning.
6942 Resolving Problems in an Adoptive Placement
CPS September 2026
Options
When an adoptive placement is not proceeding satisfactorily, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker and supervisor attempt to establish a new adoption service plan that:
- Extends the placement.
- Addresses the problems.
- Determines additional services that can support the placement.
If the DFPS or SSCC caseworker and supervisor are unable to extend the placement, they must work with the adoptive parents and the child to establish a new plan for terminating the placement by:
- Removing the child from the adoptive home.
- Returning the child to substitute care.
Terminating the Placement
To terminate an adoptive placement, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must:
- Record in the case record all information leading to and supporting the decision to remove the child from the adoptive home.
- Obtain the supervisor’s approval to remove the child.
- Help the family and the child adjust to the termination with as little emotional damage as possible.
- Explain to the child the reasons for terminating the placement and discuss future placement plans with the child.
- Revise and update the child’s service plan.
6943 Contact with the Child and Adoptive Family
CPS September 2026
When DFPS or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) staff provide post-placement supervision services, the caseworker must follow the contact policy in 6411 Contact with the Child, 6943.1 Conducting Visits with the Child and Adoptive Family, and documentation policy in 6133.2 Documenting Contacts in Substitute Care.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must also take the following actions for the adoptive placement:
- Make monthly face-to-face contact with the child and adoptive family until the adoption is consummated.
- Make at least one monthly face-to-face contact at the residence each month in a majority of the months in a year. See 6411 Contact with the Child and 6133.2 Documenting Contacts in Substitute Care for additional requirements.
- Make at least two of the monthly contacts during the first six months, which must include all family members living in the home.
The visits must be well-planned and focused on issues pertinent to case planning and service delivery to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of the child.
These visits should focus on:
- The child’s bonding and adjustment to the new adoptive family.
- The needs of the adoptive family in caring for the child.
- The issues identified in the adoption service plan.
Generally, when a child is first placed in an adoptive home, more frequent contact is needed. The amount and type of contacts will depend on the child and family’s needs.
Constitutional Requirements
When visiting a family’s home, DFPS or the SSCC must always ensure that the caseworker has proper consent to enter a family’s residence as provided for in the Fourth Amendment.
6943.1 Conducting Visits with the Child and Adoptive Family
CPS September 2026
DFPS or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) staff follow the policies in 6411 Contact with the Child.
6943.11 Preparing for the Visit
CPS September 2026
For the service plan, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker refers to the adoption service plan.
6943.12 Conducting the Visit
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker talks with the child and adoptive parent separately and together. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker observes the interaction of the child and the adoptive parents. Separate conversations are important as they allow the child or adoptive parents to bring up concerns that they might not share in front of others. If the child is nonverbal, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker should have some interaction with the nonverbal child.
During the visits in the home, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker discusses with the child and parents the progress since the last visit. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker asks them about:
- What has gone well.
- What are the problems or difficulties.
- How they have tried to handle these.
- Their thoughts and feelings about the adoptive placement.
- Their use of family and community supports and resources, as needed.
During the visit with the child, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker also asks about and discusses:
- The child’s thoughts and feelings about living with the adoptive family, and the child’s interactions with other children in the home.
- Various adjustment issues.
- The youth’s transition plan, if the youth is 16 years of age or older. (This is important, even in an adoptive placement.)
6943.13 Assessing the Visit
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must assess the adoptive parent’s ability, willingness and efforts to:
- Care for the child.
- Meet the child’s needs, particularly those of safety and well-being.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must assess the child’s progress in the home and bonding with the adoptive family. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must assess the quality of the interaction of the child and the adoptive parents.
6943.14 Documenting the Visit
CPS September 2026
After each contact, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document observations of, and discussions with, the child and adoptive family, and any follow-up tasks that are needed.
6943.15 Following Up
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must take steps to ensure that any identified needs for the child or support services needed for the adoptive family are addressed. This may include such actions as any of the following:
- Revising the service plan.
- Setting up additional testing or evaluations.
- Assisting the adoptive parents in scheduling appointments with specialists to see the child.
- Scheduling an appointment at the child’s school.
6944 Consummating the Adoption
CPS September 2026
The DFPS SSCC caseworker and adoptive family assess the family and the child’s readiness to consummate the adoption.
After the child has lived in the family’s home for six months, the court may hear a petition to adopt the child (filed by the family’s adoption attorney) and order the adoption. However, the court may waive the six-month residence requirement.
The petition to adopt is filed in one of the following counties:
- The child’s legal county.
- The county where the adoptive family lives.
After the adoption is consummated, the child has the same legal status and inheritance rights in the adoptive family as a child born to the adoptive parents.
6944.1 Time Frames for Consummating the Adoption
CPS September 2026
There are restrictions about when adoptions can be consummated, because certain relatives of a child have 90 days after termination of parental rights to request managing conservatorship. Therefore, the adoption consummation should occur at least 90 days after the termination of parental rights.
If one of the eligible relatives files for managing conservatorship during the 90 days after the termination of parental rights, then the prospective adoptive family must wait until the suit has been resolved before the adoption can be consummated. However, there may be situations in which the court does both of the following:
- Determines that it is in the best interest of the child to consummate the adoption in a shorter time frame.
- Orders the adoption.
In these situations, DFPS follows the orders of the court.
6944.2 Caseworker Tasks after the Adoption Petition Is Filed
6944.21 Preparing a Post-Placement Report
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker prepares the post-placement report about the child and the adoptive home. If working with a Child Placing Agency (CPA), the DFPS or SSCC caseworker will obtain the post-placement report from the CPA. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker then supplies the adoption attorney with a copy of the post-placement report to be filed with the court.
6944.22 Filing the Health, Social, Education, and Genetic History (HSEGH) Report
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker supplies a signed copy of the health, social, education, and genetic history (HSEGH) report to the family’s adoption attorney to be filed with the court.
6944.23 Providing the Child’s History to the Adoptive Parents
CPS September 2026
At the time the adoption is consummated, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker gives the adoptive parents a complete redacted copy of DFPS’s records related to the child.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker must document the adoptive parents’ receipt of the redacted copy of DFPS’s records by using Form 2221 Copy of Child’s Case File and uploading it into OneCase/neuDocs.
Fees for More Than One Copy
DFPS does not require adoptive parents to pay a fee for a single redacted copy of records related to the child.
If the adoptive parents ask for more than one copy, DFPS charges them for each additional copy at DFPS’s standard rates for copying requested records. Adoptive parents, DFPS, or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) staff may contact the Records Management Group (RMG) to find out the current rate.
6944.24 Providing Documents to the Family’s Attorney
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker gives the attorney a copy of the termination order and the child’s birth certificate, so that the attorney can complete an application to amend the child’s birth certificate.
6944.25 Providing Advice on Obtaining Post-Adoption Services
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker reviews the service array and discusses the purpose of post-adoption services with the adoptive family. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker informs the adoptive family of how to request post-adoption services.
6944.26 Documenting the Adoption Decree and Other Actions
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker uploads a copy of the adoption decree in the child’s adoption (ADO) stage in OneCase /neuDocs.
6944.27 Transferring a Legal Case between Jurisdictions for Adoption
CPS September 2026
Texas Family Code §155.201 requires the transfer of a legal case if both of the following actions occur:
- The adoption petition is filed in the county where the child lives.
- A motion to transfer the underlying legal case (the child’s conservatorship case) is filed in the court having continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over the underlying legal case.
Because both actions need to occur for a transfer of the underlying legal case to be mandatory, DFPS or a single source continuum contractor (SSCC) may have adoption cases in which the underlying legal case does not need to transfer. However, if the petitioner (prospective adoptive parents or their attorney) files both the adoption petition and the motion to transfer, the judge with jurisdiction over the underlying legal case transfers that case.
For more guidance on this process, please see the Adoption Resource Guide.
6944.3 Additional Tasks Related to Adoption
6944.31 Providing Advice on Applying for a New Social Security Number or Card
CPS September 2026
The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not automatically change its records when a child is adopted. That is, the SSA does not automatically assign a new Social Security number for a child who already has a Social Security number when the child is adopted, nor does the SSA automatically change the child’s name on the Social Security card to the child’s new adoptive name.
Same Number
In addition, even if requested, the SSA does not assign a new Social Security number for the child if the child meets any of the following conditions:
- Knows he or she is adopted.
- Already receives Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.
- Has worked in a job covered by Social Security.
- Is adopted by a stepparent or other relative.
If any of the above conditions exist, the SSA updates the child’s record with the new identifying information and issues an updated card with the child’s new name under the same number. Adoptive parents should contact the SSA for instructions on how to get an updated card.
If the child is receiving Social Security benefits, the adoptive parent sends a copy of the new Social Security card with the new name to the adoption assistance eligibility specialist. The specialist enters the new name in IMPACT. This generates a referral to the Medicaid system.
New Number
If none of the above conditions exist, the adoptive parents can get a new Social Security number for the child with the child’s adoptive name. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker advises the adoptive parents to follow the steps outlined on the SSA website in the publication Social Security Numbers for Children.
Old Card
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker uploads a copy of the old Social Security card in OneCase /neuDocs. If DFPS or the single source continuum contractor (SSCC) has the old card, the primary caseworker provides the original copy of the old Social Security card to the adoptive parent for their records once consummation occurs.
6944.32 Transferring Income, Benefits, and Assets
CPS September 2026
When the adoption is consummated, DFPS accounting staff arrange for any income, benefits, and assets that the child is receiving to be returned to the appropriate issuing entity.
Next, the following takes place:
- DFPS Accounting returns all conserved Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits to SSA when the adoption is consummated.
- The regional Supplemental Security Income (SSI) coordinator resigns as the representative payee, and SSA ceases sending monthly benefits to DFPS.
- The regional SSI coordinator informs the DFPS or SSCC caseworker that DFPS has resigned as representative payee.
- The DFPS or SSCC caseworker notifies the adoptive parents to contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) and become the representative payee, if applicable.
Any non-SSA funds are handled on a case-by-case basis.
6944.33 Providing Additional Medical, Psychological, or Psychiatric Information to the Adoptive Family
CPS September 2026
Any DFPS or single source continuum contractor (SSCC) staff member who obtains supplemental medical, psychological, or psychiatric information about a child or youth who is or was in DFPS managing conservatorship, and was subsequently placed into adoption, is required by law to provide the information to the adoptive parents.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker submits the information for redaction of confidential information using regional protocol. The appropriate division of DFPS provides the redacted information to the adoption supervisor for the county that has jurisdiction over the child’s case. The supervisor does the following:
- Forwards the information to the adoptive parents.
- Works with the regional attorney to file the supplemental medical, psychological, or psychiatric information with the court that consummated the adoption, or in which the adoption petition was filed.
DFPS submits the supplemental information in redacted form to the contractor for post-adoption services, if appropriate.
The Records Management Group (RMG) includes the original, unredacted supplemental information in the adoption record for retention.
6944.34 Releasing the Health, Social, Education, and Genetic History (HSEGH) Report and Adoption Readiness Summary (ARS) to Other People on Request
CPS September 2026
The Texas Family Code requires DFPS or a single source continuum contractor (SSCC) to release the health, social, education, and genetic history (HSEGH) report, the adoption readiness summary (ARS), or both, to certain other people on request. These people are:
- An adoptive parent of the adopted child.
- The managing conservator, guardian of the person, or legal custodian of the adopted child.
- The adopted person, when the person is an adult.
- The surviving spouse of the adopted person, if the adopted person is dead, and the spouse is the parent or guardian of a child of the deceased adopted person.
- A child or other descendent of the adopted person, if the adopted person is dead and the descendent is an adult.
Responding to Requests
When DFPS or SSCC staff receives a request for a copy of the HSEGH report or ARS from one of the people listed above, a DFPS or SSCC staff member refers the requester to the Records Management Group (RMG). RMG determines whether the requester is entitled to the information and, if so, provides a redacted copy of the records.
6944.4 Adoption Assistance When DFPS Is Not Consenting to the Adoption
CPS September 2026
If the child meets the special needs requirement for adoption assistance, and the family is approved to adopt, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker submits an adoption assistance packet, regardless of whether DFPS or a single source continuum contractor (SSCC) consents to the adoption.
If the child being adopted is not a United States citizen or legal permanent resident, the caseworker consults with the DFPS Legal Division.
6944.5 Termination of DFPS’s Managing Conservatorship
CPS September 2026
When the adoption is consummated, the court terminates DFPS’s managing conservatorship, and DFPS’s responsibility for the child ends.
Exceptions
DFPS or the single source continuum contractor (SSCC) continues to have limited responsibilities for the child when the child receives adoption assistance or post-adoption services.
See:
6944.6 Adoption Reporting Requirements
CPS September 2026
DFPS and single source continuum contractor (SSCC) staff members must make sure all adoptions that occur through DFPS are registered in order to request a new birth certificate resulting from an adoption, and to maintain accuracy of the adoption database maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Bureau of Vital Statistics (BVS).
DFPS and SSCC staff must direct the adoptive family to complete Form VS-160 Certificate of Adoption. The family’s adoption attorney uses this form to report this information.
6950 Post-Adoption Services
CPS September 2026
Post-Adoption Services is a program funded by DFPS that is provided by contracted providers and is intended to help adoptive families and children do as follows:
- Adjust to the adoption.
- Cope with any history of abuse or neglect in the child’s background.
- Assist the family with any mental or behavioral health issues the child may have.
- Avoid the permanent or long-term removal of the adopted child from the family.
Post-adoption services may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Community engagement
- Information and referral
- Case management and service planning
- Crisis intervention
- Support groups
- Parent training
- Post-adoption counseling
- Day treatment services
- Therapeutic or specialized camps
- Intermittent alternate care (respite care)
- Residential treatment services in critical-need situations
For detailed information about providing post-adoption services through contracted providers, see 8410 Post-Adoption Services and the DFPS Adoption Support Programs web page.
6951 Post-Adoption Substitute Care (Return to Care)
CPS September 2026
In limited circumstances, DFPS or a single source continuum contractor (SSCC) provides out-of-home placement services to children adopted from DFPS. This service is only available to children living in Texas and is only available when one of the following applies:
- The child’s therapeutic or behavioral needs cannot be met in a family setting.
- The child’s behaviors are too dangerous to others in the home for the child to live in the home.
To be eligible for out-of-home placement services, the adoptive family must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be residents of Texas.
- Have adopted a child directly from DFPS custody.
- Have followed through with all tasks on the service plan that was developed with the post-adoption service provider, to the extent the provider determines appropriate. (Service plan tasks may include, but is not limited to, family, group, or individual therapy for the parents or the child.)
- Have exhausted all of the following:
- All community resources
- Their insurance benefits
- Available post-adoption services
- The Residential Treatment Center Project funded by HHSC.
6951.1 Circumstances Requiring Post-Adoption Substitute Care
CPS September 2026
To qualify for post-adoption substitute care, the therapeutic and behavioral issues of the child must be caused by one or both of the following:
- Trauma the child endured before adoptive placement.
- Unpredictable genetic issues.
DFPS offers this service because the children that DFPS or the single source continuum contractor (SSCC) places for adoption come into care with various needs. Some needs are clear before and at the time of placement, some occur after placement, and others occur at new developmental stages.
There is no way to predict every need a child might have in an adoptive home, because DFPS or the SSCC does not know every trauma the child has experienced or the complete genetic history of every child. Additionally, DFPS or the SSCC cannot predict the long-term effects these variables may have on each child.
Examples of the types of behaviors these children might exhibit include:
- Being sexually or physically abusive toward others in the home.
- Exhibiting severe conduct disorder that presents physical safety issues to the family, siblings, or the adoptee.
- Being unable to function within the structure and supervision provided in a family setting.
- Being unable to attach over several years’ time, so that the family setting is unable to meet the child’s emotional needs, and the child’s overall functioning deteriorates.
6951.2 Procedures for Obtaining Post-Adoption Substitute Care
CPS September 2026
When an adoptive family contacts DFPS or a single source continuum contractor (SSCC) to request placement for their adopted child, and they are not currently working with Post-Adoption Services, staff refers the family to the post-adoption services provider in their area for appropriate services.
When post-adoption services are nearly exhausted, the adoptive family and DFPS can make a referral to the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) Project, which is funded by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). For additional information, see the Residential Treatment Center Project.
If post-adoption services, including using the RTC Project diversion beds, are not successful, then the adoptive family and DFPS can mutually agree to have DFPS named temporary or joint managing conservator of the child, with court approval.
The post-adoption services provider, Child Protective Investigations (CPI) and the DFPS or SSCC post-adoption regional liaison must find that it is in the child’s or youth’s best interest to reenter substitute care to receive mental health services.
DFPS must hold a staffing meeting to determine whether all of the following criteria are met:
- All of the following were exhausted:
- All possible community resources
- Insurance benefits
- Contracted post-adoption services
- HHSC-funded RTC Project diversion beds
- The child’s needs cannot be met in a family setting, or the child poses a serious threat to others in the home.
This meeting should include the following participants:
- Post-adoption services provider.
- Adoptive parents.
- DFPS Conservatorship (CVS) program director or SSCC equivalent responsible for the county in which the family lives, if applicable.
- DFPS or SSCC Post-Adoption regional liaison.
- Adoption staff who may have knowledge of the family.
- CPI staff assigned to the case.
- Therapist.
- Caseworker or supervisor who will be completing the investigation.
Other appropriate participants can be included as necessary, such as eligibility staff responsible for the child’s adoption assistance.
The investigation caseworker must notify the DFPS State Office adoption services specialist before pursuing temporary or joint managing conservatorship with the family for the purpose of mental health services.
DFPS files for temporary or joint managing conservatorship of the adopted child. The child may be placed into substitute care with the adoptive family’s ongoing commitment and involvement.
6951.3 Permanency Planning for Post-Adoption Substitute Care
CPS September 2026
The permanency goal is family reunification. A concurrent permanency goal is established.
For detailed information about selecting a permanency goal, see 6233 Selecting the Permanency Goal.
6951.4 Processing Post-Adoption Substitute Care
CPS September 2026
The investigation caseworker enters the following, as in any other conservatorship case:
- Original petition
- Affidavit
- Court orders
DFPS can be granted temporary managing conservatorship (TMC) for the purpose of protective foster care. The adoptive family can be named joint temporary managing conservators (JTMC) if all of the following criteria are met:
- The family is willing.
- Joint managing conservatorship (JMC) is in the best interest of the child.
- JMC is approved by the court.
- Abuse or neglect is not present in the family.
After TMC or JTMC is granted, DFPS or the single source continuum contractor (SSCC) manages the case as any other conservatorship case, with all the same time frames and expectations.
Staff should understand the different issues associated with the child and adoptive family that are unique to that type of parent-child relationship and different from birth parent histories and issues. If further clarification is needed, staff may contact the Post-Adoption regional liaison.
6951.5 Transitioning from Post-Adoption Services to Post-Adoption Substitute Care
CPS September 2026
DFPS or the single source continuum contractor (SSCC) terminates post-adoption services to the adoptive family and child when DFPS is named temporary managing conservator (TMC) of the child, unless there are other adoptive children remaining in the home; in which case, the adoptive family and children continue to receive post-adoption services as needed. Substitute care provides therapeutic services related to the child or children in TMC.
6960 Subsequent Placements in the Same Home
CPS September 2026
Before placing another child for adoption in an adoptive home that has already adopted a child who was in DFPS’s managing conservatorship, the adoption caseworker must obtain an update to the family’s adoptive home study. The new home study must meet the requirements for subsequent placements in the Child Care Regulation division’s Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies.
6970 Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE)
CPS September 2026
The Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) is an online recruitment and matching tool used by Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Single Source Continuum Contractors (SSCC) to support permanency outcomes for children awaiting adoption.
The TARE Manual includes basic procedures and step-by-step instructions on how to use the TARE application.
6971 Community Agencies That Support Child-Specific Recruitment
CPS September 2026
Community agencies often support DFPS or SSCCs in recruitment efforts to find a home for a particular child. Children must be published on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) before any community agency is brought in to facilitate local or national child-specific recruitment activities.
If the decision is made to suspend recruitment on TARE, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker ensures that the community agency or program also suspends its recruitment efforts. Suspending recruitment efforts includes, but is not limited to, removing photos, profiles, and videos from websites or exhibits, including Heart Galleries, until the decision is made to reinstate recruitment efforts.
6972 TARE Adoption Recruitment Efforts
6972.1 Pre-TARE Regional Recruitment Efforts
CPS September 2026
During the first 60 days following an Order for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), the DFPS or SSCC caseworker uses regional recruitment efforts to identify prospective adoptive families for the child.
6972.11 Pre-Recruitment Discussion with the Current Foster Parents
CPS September 2026
Before initiating regional recruitment efforts, the child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker talks in person with the current caregivers. The purpose of this discussion is to inform the caregivers that the DFPS or SSCC caseworker intends to begin active recruitment efforts to identify potential adoptive families and to determine whether the current caregivers are interested in adopting the child.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker has this conversation, even if there have been previous discussions with the caregivers about adopting the child, and even if the caregivers have previously declined to proceed with adoption. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker documents a summary of this conversation and the caregivers’ decision in the child’s SUB stage in IMPACT.
6972.2 National Recruitment Efforts
CPS September 2026
If an adoptive family is not identified through regional recruitment efforts by the 60th day following an Order for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), the child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker initiates national recruitment efforts, unless a court orders otherwise. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker registers the child on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange prior to initiating any other national recruitment efforts.
6973 Time Frames for Registering Children on TARE
CPS September 2026
DFPS and SSCC caseworkers register children on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) by the 60th day following an Order for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) when the following criteria are met:
- The child’s approved primary or concurrent permanency goal is adoption.
- An adoptive home has not been identified.
The TARE coordinator enters registrations in TARE within five business days of receipt of Form 2228 TARE Child Registration.
The TARE management analyst edits, approves, and publishes complete registrations on TARE within three business days of receipt. The TARE management analyst publishes the child’s listing on partner websites.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker keeps each child’s TARE registration current until the child is placed for adoption or the DFPS or SSCC caseworker changes the child’s permanency plan.
6974 Court Orders Related to Adoption Recruitment
6974.1 Court-Ordered Recruitment for a Legal Risk Placement
CPS September 2026
If a court orders the registration of a child or sibling group on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) without an Order for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), or in instances where an appeal of TPR is ongoing, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker forwards a copy of the court order to the TARE mailbox and the TARE management analyst with the subject line Court Order.
TARE staff comply with the court order, while DFPS or the SSCC addresses the ongoing issue of TPR. The child’s TARE registration is documented as a legal risk adoptive placement. See 6928 Legal Risk Adoptive Homes.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker completes Form 2228 TARE Child Registration.
The first sentence of the Child Profile section on the form must say in bold font: Placement for this child is considered legal risk.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker includes the following in the comments on the TARE profile:
- Name of the judge who ordered the TARE registration.
- Date of the court order.
6974.2 Court Orders to Cease or Suspend Recruitment Efforts
CPS September 2026
If the court orders the DFPS or SSCC caseworker to refrain from initiating recruitment efforts or suspends existing recruitment efforts for a child or sibling group, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker forwards a copy of the court order to the DFPS TARE mailbox and the TARE management analyst with the subject line Court Order.
The child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker notifies the TARE coordinator of the court order suspending recruitment.
The TARE coordinator enters and edits the TARE registration status and reason for removal.
The TARE management analyst complies with the court order and removes the child’s listing from TARE and partner websites.
6974.3 Court Orders for Placement Only in Texas
CPS September 2026
Standard practice is to conduct national recruitment efforts for all children legally free for adoption, unless it is detrimental to the child or sibling group for whom these efforts are being made and a court orders adoptive placement only in Texas.
If a court orders an adoptive placement only in Texas for a child or sibling group, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker forwards a copy of the court order to the DFPS TARE mailbox and TARE management analyst with the subject line Court Order.
TARE staff comply with the court order while DFPS or the SSCC addresses the legal issues related to the court’s actions.
In Form 2228 TARE Child Registration, the first sentence of the Child Profile must say in bold font: Texas Placement Only.
The TARE coordinator enters the following in the comments on the TARE profile:
- Name of the judge who ordered the registration.
- Date of the court order.
If Staff Prefers Placement in Texas
If the DFPS or SSCC caseworker and the supervisor assess that it is in the best interest of a child or sibling group to limit adoptive placement to Texas without a court order but national recruitment is not detrimental to the child or sibling group, approval is needed from the DFPS program director or SSCC equivalent to limit recruitment efforts. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker forwards the DFPS program director or SSCC equivalent staff’s approval to the DFPS TARE mailbox and the TARE management analyst for documentation.
6974.4 Challenge of Termination of Parental Rights (TPR)
CPS September 2026
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker notifies the child’s Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) coordinator if either of the following happens:
- A parent appeals the termination of parental rights.
- A relative files a petition within 90 days after TPR requesting appointment as permanent managing conservator of a child or sibling group registered on TARE.
The TARE coordinator immediately suspends recruitment efforts on TARE until the DFPS or SSCC caseworker receives a court order to continue recruitment on TARE. If the court does not order continued recruitment, the DFPS or SSCC caseworker suspends recruitment on TARE until the appeal is resolved.
6975 Maintaining TARE Registrations
6975.1 Responsibilities of the Child’s Caseworker
CPS September 2026
The child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker keeps each child’s Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) registration current, until the child is placed in an adoptive home or the DFPS or SSCC caseworker changes the child’s permanency plan.
The child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker keeps the child plan and monthly evaluation updated to explain why the child is not registered on TARE within the time frame required by policy.
The DFPS or SSCC caseworker updates a child’s registration, including both profile narrative and photo, as follows:
- Annually, to keep the posting current.
- Within two business days of receiving a new Heart Gallery photo.
- Quarterly, when TARE has not received sufficient or appropriate inquiries on the child.
- Any time there are changes in the child’s circumstances that affect recruitment. The DFPS or SSCC caseworker notifies the TARE coordinator within 14 business days when such a change occurs. Examples include changes to a child’s health, behavioral or emotional characteristics, or the type of placement needed.
- If an adoptive match withdraws or placement disrupts, the child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker renews the child’s TARE registration by filling out a new Form 2228 TARE Child Registration and providing an updated photo, if the previous TARE photo is more than a year old.
6975.2 Updating TARE Registrations
CPS September 2026
To update a Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) registration, the TARE coordinator enters and edits the registration status within five business days of receiving the request from the DFPS or SSCC caseworker.
The TARE management analyst rejects or approves the TARE registration status updates within three business days of receipt.
The TARE management analyst publishes the child’s listing on partner websites.
6975.3 Discontinuing TARE Registrations
CPS September 2026
To close a Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) registration, the child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker notifies the TARE coordinator when the child is no longer available for adoption and provides the reason why within three business days.
The TARE coordinator enters and edits the TARE registration status and reasons within one business day of receipt from the DFPS or SSCC caseworker for removals.
The TARE management analyst rejects or approves the TARE registration status within three business days of receipt for removals.
Upon approval, the TARE management analyst removes the child’s listing from partner websites.
6976 TARE Inquiries
CPS September 2026
The Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) coordinator responds to a child-specific inquiry within three business days of receipt.
The child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker logs all inquiries received through TARE and outside of TARE in the Adoption Inquiries contact in IMPACT.
6976.1 Families that Inquire Outside of the TARE System
CPS September 2026
The TARE coordinator responds to child-specific inquiries within three business days of receipt.
6976.2 Inquiry Status in TARE System
CPS September 2026
Changing the status of the inquiry allows families to know what is happening with their inquiry. As the selection process moves forward, the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) coordinator requests and receives updates from the DFPS or SSCC caseworker. As a family’s inquiry moves forward in consideration, the TARE coordinator continues to update the family’s inquiry status in TARE and exchanges additional information with the family’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker and child’s DFPS or SSCC caseworker.
Inquiries do not remain in the “In Review” or “Pending” status for longer than 60 days.
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