Guiding Principles:

As a child-focused agency working in the best interest of children around the world, it is Children’s Home Society & Family Services’ (CHSFS) perspective that each child deserves the opportunity to establish his/her unique position within a family.  In order to advance this perspective, when making referral and placement decisions, CHSFS staff will maintain both of the following principles:

·         There can be one child placement per family per 12-month period (excepting the placement of biological siblings);

AND

·         A child placed in a family must be no less than 12 months apart in age and placement from any other child in the family.

(The above principles apply to all children, whether joining families through adoption or birth – please refer to CHSFS pregnancy guidelines for additional information.)

Dual Listing:

In an effort to ease the wait for placement, CHSFS does allow families to apply for more than one program at a time.  “Dual listing” allows families the opportunity to wait for a referral from two programs at once and thus to maximize time and effort.  In order to respect the principles stated above, the following parameters are offered for a better understanding of CHSFS dual listing procedures.

·         CHSFS will work with countries to assign only one child referral at a time.  When a referral is made to a family or a domestic match has begun in one program, the other program will be considered “on hold.”  If the initial referral or domestic match proceeds to placement, the other program will be “withdrawn” and the file closed.  Families participating in CHSFS programs are asked to communicate updates and honor these guidelines;

·         If a family is dual listing with a CHSFS international program and another agency’s domestic program, it is critical that CHSFS be in contact with the domestic agency in order to communicate necessary updates.  It is expected that the family will alert their CHSFS specialist if/when a domestic match has begun;

·         CHSFS only allows dual international listing between two CHSFS programs – not between two agencies; 

·         After placement, a family will be expected to complete the state-required post-placement and finalization reporting before re-applying to CHSFS for their next adoption;

·         In some country programs, because of country-specified regulations, or length of referral time, dual listing is not allowed.  Please check with CHSFS specialists and your social worker to discuss the possibility of dual listing with two specific programs;

·         Currently, CHSFS charges no additional fees for dual listing.  However, individual programs may have specific fees associated with the process (dossier fees, translation fees and/or formal application to a country, for example).  These fees are non-refundable.  Please check with CHSFS specialists to plan for appropriate expenses.