Resource: Unregulated Custody Transfers of Adopted Children

This publication (PDF, 6 pages) provides an overview of state laws on efforts to curtail the practice of some adoptive parents placing their adopted children into the custody of unrelated persons without the oversight of a child welfare agency or court. Such transfers put a child at risk of abuse, neglect, emotional trauma, and placement instability. States are utilizing a variety of approaches to curb the practice, including criminalizing the act, placing limits on the use of a power of attorney for delegating parental authority, and restricting the use of advertising to find placements for a child. Learn more.