Making an Adoption Plan When CPS Is Involved

Child Protective Services (CPS) is a governmental agency tasked with ensuring the safety of children. CPS may also be known as the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). 

There are a variety of reasons CPS may intervene in a family situation. When they do, a child is usually removed from the care of their biological family, and the child is placed with foster services until the next legal steps are determined.

Since the CPS operates at the state level, your experience with CPS will vary depending on where you live.

If you are considering adoption before, during, or after CPS has become involved, the first thing you should do is speak with an adoption specialist to learn more about the options in your state. In the meantime, continue reading to get general information about placing a child for adoption when CPS is involved.

CPS, DCFS, or DCF Involvement in Placing a Child for Adoption 

There are several different types of adoption. When you, as a mother, talk about voluntarily placing a child for adoption, you are thinking about private adoption, which the DCF is not involved in. The DCF is only involved in placing children for adoption in the instance of foster care adoption. 

Can I Adopt My Child Out if She/He Has Been Taken by Social Workers? 

If a child has been taken into custody by CPS social workers, it is likely too late to choose a private adoption for your child. While this may not be the news you wanted to hear, it doesn’t mean all hope is lost in this situation. 

For most children in foster care, the goal is “reunification,” which means returning to the care of biological parents.

If you still feel parenting can be possible for you, you can work with your CPS social worker to create a reunification plan and then do everything possible to make that reunification plan a reality. 

Can You Give a Newborn Up for Adoption if You Have an Existing CPS Case? 

If you have children who are in CPS custody and then become pregnant, you can choose adoption for your newborn baby.

Choosing adoption for your newborn allows you to have control over the adoption process. Unlike when CPS is involved in placing children in foster care, this is your decision. You make the adoption plan. 

It is best to work with an adoption agency for your private adoption. Working with an adoption agency means getting access to things like counseling and adoption guidance, as well as being eligible for adoption financial assistance during the adoption process. 

For the baby, adoption is an opportunity to grow up in a loving, stable environment. 

Proactively making an adoption plan allows you to make all the decisions and create the type of life and future you want for your baby. It is a brave, loving, selfless thing to do.

Regaining control in this way can also help you focus on other areas of your life, like working hard on your reunification plan with your other children who are in foster care. Since you won’t have to worry about raising another baby, you can put more energy into being reunited with your older children. 

Your Next Steps

Once you find an agency to work with, let your CPS caseworker know that you are choosing to place your baby through private adoption. Your caseworker will need to verify this with the adoption agency and will stay closely connected throughout the process. 

To learn more about your options for adoption when CPS is involved, click the button below to speak with an adoption specialist.