Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children ICPC

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is an agreement between all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands. The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPS) outlines the regulations and rules for the placement of a child from one state to another state. The goal of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is to ensure that the placement home is appropriate and safe prior to the child's placement and the family who is adopting a child can financially care for the child.

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) does not govern all adoptions. According to the ICPC they are only responsible for "the placement of a child in the care or custody of a state public child welfare agency with a relative family, a foster family or an adoptive family in another state, the placement of a child with their a parent who may be located in another state and the placement of a child into a licensed, residential treatment center in another state."

Coordination for the adoption or placement starts with a caseworker from the state where the child is currently residing. The caseworker will create a packet with the child's information and the information about the receiving family. The packet is sent to the central Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) office in the sending state and then to the ICPC central office in the state where the child would be sent. Then the information is sent to the social services agency office where the prospective family resides. The home review and background screening are then completed by the local social services agency office.