(d) Each licensee who provides services to
parents or expectant parents considering relinquishing parental rights shall
develop and implement policies and procedures for those services. Each licensee
shall meet the following requirements:
(1)
Each licensee shall ensure that each parent or expectant parent has the
information and opportunity needed to explore the complete range of options
available in planning for the future of the child.
(2) Each licensee shall provide each parent
or expectant parent with the following information in writing:
(A) Information on whether the parent or
expectant parent is required to sign a contract or an agreement with the
child-placement agency concerning the proposed relinquishment;
(B) the rights of birth parents and expectant
parents and the process of relinquishing parental rights, including the process
for identifying the biological father and any and all presumed birth fathers of
the child and the right to change a decision at any time before the execution
of the relinquishment;
(C) the
range of services provided by the child-placement agency for birth parents or
expectant parents who decide to parent the child, including the child-placement
agency's fee policies;
(D) the
requirements for parent or expectant parent counseling about decision-making
for the child, including the topics to be covered;
(E) the child-placement agency's policies and
procedures concerning relinquishment and adoption, including the role of the
birth parent or expectant parent in the selection of an adoptive family for the
child;
(F) information about the
different types of adoption and any continued involvement of the parent with
the child once the adoption has been legalized;
(G) information about the range of available
adoptive families for the child;
(H) the policy of the child-placement agency
on any payments, goods, or services to be given to the parent or expectant
parent, including a method for the itemization of payments, goods, or services
consistent with applicable adoption law;
(I) any policy or requirement of the
child-placement agency that would preclude the child-placement agency accepting
a voluntary relinquishment, which may include the following:
(i) A medical condition of the
child;
(ii) information needed as
required by the indian child welfare act; and
(iii) the age of the child.
(3) Each licensee shall
ensure that a plan for services is developed for each birth parent and each
expectant parent receiving services from the child-placement agency. Services
shall be based on the physical, emotional, and financial needs and the
preferences of the birth parent or expectant parent and the availability of
services and resources of the child-placement agency. Services may be provided
by the child-placement agency staff or through referral of the birth parent or
expectant parent to other community resources and shall include the following:
(A) Discussion of the decision to parent the
child or to relinquish parental rights, including the following:
(i) Coping with feelings of grief and
loss;
(ii) the reactions of family
and friends to the decision to parent or to relinquish parental
rights;
(iii) in the case of a
decision to relinquish parental rights, concerns related to exchanging
information or communicating with the adoptive parent; and
(iv) lifelong implications of the decision,
including the possibility of adoption search;
(B) a referral for legal services;
(C) financial assistance if described in the
written agreement between the parent or expectant parent and the
child-placement agency;
(D) any
medical assistance, including transportation, described in the written
agreement; and
(E) a plan for
follow-up services with the parent after the relinquishment of parental rights.
The child-placement agency shall offer follow-up social services and counseling
to each parent for at least six months following the relinquishing of parental
rights.
