What Is a Foster Care Case Plan and How Does It Lead to Adoption in Indiana?

By: Grant Kirsh

If you are a foster parent in Indiana, you have probably heard about the “case plan” that DCS creates for the biological family. Understanding what this case plan is, what it requires, and how its outcome affects the path to adoption is critical for any foster family hoping to adopt.

At Kirsh & Kirsh, P.C., we have handled nearly 3,000 foster care adoptions across Indiana. We work with families in Marion County, Lake County, Allen County, Hamilton County, Tippecanoe County, St. Joseph County, Hendricks County, Elkhart County, Johnson County, Delaware County, Vanderburgh County, Porter County, Madison County, Vigo County, Monroe County, and beyond. Here is what you need to know.

What Is a Case Plan?

When DCS removes a child from a home and a CHINS case is opened, DCS creates a case plan for the biological parents. The case plan outlines the specific steps the parents must take to address the issues that led to the child’s removal. These steps often include things like parenting classes, substance abuse treatment, counseling, stable housing, employment, and regular visitation with the child.

The case plan is the roadmap for reunification. If the parents complete the plan and demonstrate that the home is safe, the child may be returned to them.

What Happens When the Case Plan Is Not Completed?

When biological parents fail to complete their case plan, or when they complete parts of it but the underlying issues remain, DCS may determine that reunification is no longer possible. At that point, the permanency plan for the child changes. It may change to adoption, or a concurrent plan of reunification and adoption may be established.

This is the moment when the adoption timeline begins in earnest. DCS will typically file for termination of parental rights, and the legal process moves toward freeing the child for adoption.

How Does This Affect Foster Families?

As a foster parent, you do not control the case plan or the biological family’s compliance. That can be frustrating, especially when delays extend the time a child spends in limbo. But understanding the case plan process helps you set realistic expectations about the adoption timeline.

An experienced foster care adoption attorney can monitor the case plan progress, communicate with DCS, and help you understand when the permanency plan is likely to change. At Kirsh & Kirsh, P.C., we keep our families informed every step of the way.

Patience Is Essential

The case plan process can take time. Biological parents are given opportunities to complete their plans, and courts generally allow reasonable time before determining that reunification has failed. This can feel agonizingly slow when you are bonding with a child and hoping for permanency.

Stay patient. Stay focused on the child. And make sure you have an attorney who knows your county’s courts and can help keep the legal process moving forward.

Call us at 317-575-5555. Visit us at DCSAdoptions.com

For a complete overview of the foster care adoption process, read our Complete Guide to Adopting from Indiana Foster Care.

About the Author
Grant Kirsh is a second-generation adoption attorney and owner of Kirsh & Kirsh, P.C., a family law firm in Indianapolis, Indiana that has been serving Indiana families since 1981. Grant graduated from Indiana University McKinney School of Law in 2013 and has personally handled nearly 3,000 foster care adoptions and his law firm has handled over 5,000 private newborn adoptions. He practices all forms of domestic adoption, with a deep personal commitment to expectant mothers considering adoption in Indiana and Indiana’s foster care system and the families and children it serves.