Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Children and Families
DCF 021-99 - Safety and Permanence
Chapter DCF 54 - Child-Placing Agencies
Section DCF 54.05 - Indian children

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง DCF 54.05

Current through August 26, 2024

(1) DETERMINATION THAT A CHILD IS OR MAY BE AN INDIAN CHILD. If an agency has obtained information at intake or through other means that the child or at least one of the child's biological parents is or may be of American Indian descent, the child's case manager shall:

(a) Carry out and document in the child's case record diligent efforts, including but not limited to contacting the potential tribe or tribes' membership or enrollment offices and child welfare offices, and the U.S. department of interior's bureau of Indian affairs where contacts with individual tribes do not document the child's Indian descent, to verify that the child is an Indian child and to identify the child's Indian tribe;

(b) Inform the court of a determination that the child is an Indian child and of the factual basis for that determination and document and date in the child's case record that determination; and

(c) Comply with (a).

(2) COMPLIANCE WITH INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT. If the agency determines under sub. (1) that a child is an Indian child, the agency shall comply with all provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act, to, and s. 48.028, Stats.

(3) SERVICES FOR INDIAN CHILD AND FAMILY.

(a) Before providing services to an Indian child and the Indian child's family, the agency shall inform the child's tribe, if known, and ask for the tribe's participation in efforts to provide services to the Indian child and the Indian child's family. The child's case manager shall document and date in the child's case record agency efforts to inform the tribe and seek its participation.

(b) The Indian child's case manager shall undertake active efforts to prevent breakup of the child's family by providing remedial services and rehabilitative programs to the Indian child and the child's family in accordance with (d). The child's case manager shall document and date those efforts in the child's case record.

(4) TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS. An agency seeking the termination of parental rights to an Indian child shall notify the parents and tribe in accordance with (a) of their rights of intervention and shall provide the court of jurisdiction with information on agency efforts described under sub. (3). The information shall include the reasons why those efforts proved unsuccessful. The agency shall record in the Indian child's case record the date the information was given to the court.

(5) PLACEMENT OF AN INDIAN CHILD.

(a) Adoptive placement.
1. For the adoptive placement of an Indian child, (a) requires that preference be given, in the absence of good cause to the contrary, to placement with, in order of priority, a member of the Indian child's extended family, another member of the Indian child's tribe or another Indian family. The Indian child's case manager shall investigate the availability of a placement in the order of priority indicated.

2. After completing the adoption of the Indian child, the child's case manager shall request in writing that the court that ordered the adoption notify the secretary of the U.S. department of the interior of the following enrollment information:
a. The name and tribal affiliation of the Indian child;

b. The name and address of the adoptive parents; and

c. The name and address of any agency having files or information on the child's adoptive placement.

3. The Indian child's case manager shall file a copy of the written request under subd. 2. in the child's case record.

(b) Foster care or preadoptive placement.
1. For foster care or preadoptive placement of an Indian child, (b) requires that the child be placed in the least restrictive setting which most approximates a family and in which any special needs of the child may be met, within reasonable proximity to the child's home. Preference is to be given, in the absence of good cause to the contrary, to placement, in order of priority:
a. With a member of the Indian child's extended family;

b. In a foster home licensed, approved or specified by the Indian child's tribe;

c. In an Indian foster home licensed by the department, a county social services or human services department or a child-placing agency; or

d. In an institution for children approved by an Indian tribe or operated by an Indian organization which has a program suitable to meet the Indian child's needs.

2. For foster care or preadoptive placement of an Indian child, except for an emergency placement under, the child's case manager shall investigate to determine the availability of a placement under subd. 1. in the order of priority indicated. The Indian child's case manager shall document in the child's case record the investigative efforts and results, as well as any emergency placement and the reason for it.

3. An agency seeking to place an Indian child in foster care shall notify the parents and tribe in accordance with (a) of their right of intervention and shall provide the court of jurisdiction with information on agency efforts described under sub. (3). The information shall include the reasons why those efforts proved unsuccessful. The agency shall record in the Indian child's case record the date the information was given to the court.

(c) Preference of tribe, child or parent. In the case of a placement under par. (a) or (b), if the Indian child's tribe establishes a different order of preference by resolution, the agency shall follow that order so long as the placement is the least restrictive setting appropriate to the particular needs of the child as provided in par. (b). Where appropriate, the preference of the Indian child or the child's parent shall be considered provided that where a consenting parent evidences a desire for anonymity, the agency shall give weight to that desire in applying the preference.

(d) Informing the court. Prior to the court ordering termination of parental rights, foster care placement, adoptive placement or adoption of an Indian child, the agency shall inform the court in writing of agency investigative efforts and results to determine the availability of a placement in order of priority under par. (a) or (b) including when there is an emergency placement or when a different order of preference is expressed under par. (c).

(e) Record of placement. When an agency places an Indian child under par. (a) or (b), the agency shall forward a record of the placement to the department. The record shall provide evidence of efforts to comply with the order of preference under par. (a) 1. or (b) 1., as appropriate. The department, pursuant to (e), shall maintain the record and shall make it available at any time upon request of the secretary of the U.S. department of the interior or of the Indian child's tribe.

(6) SANCTIONS FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT. A child-placing agency which fails to follow the provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), to, concerning child custody proceedings involving an Indian child shall be subject to the following department sanctions:

Note: Send records of placement to the Bureau of Permanence and Out-of-Home Care, Division of Safety and Permanence, P.O. Box 8916, Madison, WI 53708-8916.

(a) If the child-placing agency knowingly and intentionally disregards a requirement of the ICWA, the department shall by letter of notification order the child-placing agency to stop accepting for service all Indian children referred for service to the agency. The agency shall ensure that no child accepted for service is an Indian child;

(b) If the child-placing agency knowingly and intentionally disregards the department's letter of notification under par. (a), the department shall revoke or not renew, as appropriate, the child-placing agency's license;

(c) If the child-placing agency is informed or discovers that it has unknowingly or negligently violated a requirement of the ICWA, the child-placing agency shall do the following:
1. Notify the court and the department upon being informed of or discovery of the violation of the ICWA;

2. Notify the parent Indian custodian, tribe and child upon being informed of or discovery of the violation of the ICWA; and

3. Cooperate with all parties in promptly correcting any inappropriate placements; and

(d) If the child-placing agency under par. (c) does not comply with par. (c) 1. to 3., the child-placing agency shall be subject to the sanctions under pars. (a) and (b).

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