What can I do with my child after placement before the adoption is finalized?

After placement of your child into your home, many families have questions about what they can and can’t do with their child before their adoption is finalized. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive regarding post-placement/pre-finalization etiquette.

Can we travel with our child? Where can we go and who do we notify?

Yes, you can travel with your child after placement, but you must remain in compliance with the procedure determined by your social worker. It is perfectly okay to travel with your child anywhere (though you won’t be able to get your child a passport until their adoption is finalized) as long as you notify your social worker ahead of time and provide the dates you will be traveling and where you are headed— including each stop you make along the way. It is preferred that you share this information via email so that it can be retained for records and future reference so that your social worker can easily know where you and your child are and how to contact you.

Can we post pictures or videos of our child on social media?

If you have a foster care license through the state, you are not allowed to post any pictures or videos of your child to any social media platform prior to the finalization of their adoption. If you obtain your foster care license through AOW, you are allowed to post pictures or videos of your child on social media, so long as you have approval from the birth parents.

Who is allowed to visit or see our child?

This decision is entirely up to your own discretion. Anyone you would like can visit or see your child, but no one else can care for your child without proper screening and the required documentation is provided to your social worker.

Who can take care of our child when we are working or away from home? What form of childcare is recommended and what does our social worker need in order to approve it?

The short answer is that you can choose whichever form of childcare you prefer, whether that be a nanny, family member, or a daycare facility (except in-home daycare). Each of these requires a different process and varying documentation for the childcare provider to be approved by your social worker—though they are each comparably easy to get approved.

Here are the requirements:

Daycare facility: Prior to sending your child to a daycare, your social worker needs a copy of the daycare facility license. This can easily be emailed or mailed to your social worker directly by the daycare facility. Please note that your child is not allowed to be cared for at an in-home daycare prior to finalization.

Nanny: A nanny is considered a primary caretaker for your child if they care for the child regularly and for long periods of time. Once you find a nanny that suits your childcare needs, a background check must be completed. Your nanny will need to fill out a release of information to be sent to your social worker so that a background check can be completed for them.

Short-term babysitter: If you hire a babysitter to come on occasion for a few hours at a time, nothing is required to be approved by your social worker. Check with your social worker if you have questions about whether your caretaker is considered a nanny or a babysitter.

Family member: If you choose to have a family member care for your child in your home, your social worker does not need anything from you. However, if a family member cares for your child in their home or anywhere else, a walkthrough of their home must be completed by your social worker. This must be done prior to the care of your child outside of your own home. In order to make this step easier, a post-placement visit with your social worker could take place at the designated family member’s residence and the walkthrough can be completed at the same time.

It’s normal to have questions about what you can and cannot do with your child before their adoption is finalized and these are good things to keep in mind in order to remain in compliance. We appreciate your cooperation so that together we can keep your child safe and ensure that the adoption process goes as smoothly as possible!