What is post-placement or post-adoption?

Post-placement or Post-adoption is a very important time in the life of your family.  As parents you are able to put into practice all of the knowledge you gained while preparing for your adoption.  Now, all the conversations with your social worker during your home study and the stories shared during your adoption training will begin to come together in a tangible way.  It is our hope that during the post adoption time you can utilize the support of your social worker, to ask any questions and work through any concerns that you might have. A Love Beyond Borders provides post adoption and post placement home visits and associated reports for our Colorado adoptive families as well as support for all our adoptive clients.

A social worker will be conducting visits with your family based on a schedule determined by the country from which you adopted, the requirements of Adoption Home Studies of Colorado (AHSC), and your own needs.  These visits are important for many reasons.  It is important for us to know how everyone is adjusting to such a major life transition, and to ensure your child's well-being.  If there are challenges and questions, this is the ideal time to trust in the support and knowledge of your social worker.  In addition, the reports generated from these visits provide valuable information about the benefits of adoption to the countries that we work with.  Hearing and seeing that your children’s needs are met and that they are adjusting appropriately is very important to the countries you are adopting from.   Knowing that these children are well loved in a family, helps lay the foundation for other children to find their way to forever families.

AHSC is here for you during this time and beyond.  In fact, it is important for you to remember that just because the mandated reporting time comes to end, it doesn't mean our relationship ends at that time. In fact, we are here for you and your child through the years.

Why are post-placement services important?

The only way child welfare systems abroad can measure the quality of an agency’s work and the progress of the child is through post-placement reports provided by the adoption agency or the adoptive family. These reports chart the child’s development and progress in every area, as well as the adjustment of the entire family. They document that the child is being raised and cared for properly. If medical or other problems exist, these reports describe the prognosis and treatment.  The reports also confirm that the correct decision was made in the best interests of the child, and reaffirm the benefits of inter-country adoption. Post-placement and post-adoption reports are translated and sent abroad to the child-placing entities. Although reporting standards vary, post-placement/adoption reporting requirements may include photographs, medical reports, and school reports.

Adoptive families must follow through with their commitment to provide these reports.

Colorado requires post-placement supervision for all adoptions to be finalized or validated in Colorado. This excludes international adoptions where the adoption was finalized abroad, when both parents met the child prior to the adoption, and where the adoptive country does not require them. However, AHSC believes it is best practice for our social worker to meet with the adoptive family three times upon arrival of the child to the home. This is especially important for a family adopting an older child, special needs child or sibling group because adjustment may be more difficult on the child and newly expanded family. AHSC will be able to assist you through this transition time. For this reason we ask our home study clients to agree to a minimum of three post-placement visits after the child arrives home.

Your post-adoptive commitment to your child’s country may include a need for additional post-placement home visits for an extended period of time, which we will be happy to provide for an additional fee. For this service we provide the additional post placement visits if required by the adoptive country. Translation assistance and State certified/apostille'd copies may be available for an additional charge.

The same adoption social worker who completed your home study (family assessment) will usually work with you in post-adoption. She will visit with you and your child after placement, plus provide reasonable phone support.

For those who are experiencing severe post-placement problems we strongly encourage you to contact us so we can further assist you or provide you with referrals to appropriate professional resources. Adoptoin Home Studies of Colorado is here for you so please let us know you need assistance.  There are also additional resources in every state within the US which you may find here: https://nacac.org/connect/find-local-adoption-support/

Additional Post Placement Adoption Services Available:

When your adoption is complete in the foreign country there is still additional paperwork that should be completed once the child is home.  AHSC recommends that this paperwork be completed sooner than later.  You may complete this paperwork on your own, or for an additional fee, AHSC is pleased to assist you.  This paperwork can include:

• Validation of your international adoption in a Colorado court. As part of our post-placement services, AHSC provides validation services once you are home with your child. We are required to file this in court within 30 days of your child's arrival home.
• File for your child's Colorado birth certificate. After your validation of foreign adoption is complete, the Vital Records Office will provide you with an application for a Registry of Foreign Birth (basically like a birth certificate which will list the birth country) within about 12 weeks.
• Fulfillment of additional post-adoption requirements of your adoptive country.
• Counseling: Any additional counseling provided by one of our social workers beyond the basic post adoption visits for children and families in need. If you choose to work with a counselor or specialist unaffiliated with ALBB, we can provide you with a list of qualified professionals to meet you and your child's needs. We are well-connected to the adoption professionals throughout Colorado and can provide recommendations to any number of professionals.
• Phone consultation

If you would like more information on Post Placement services call AHSC at 3030-333-152 or submit an inquiry on our Contact Us page.