What is the Interstate Compact?
The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is a law which has been passed by all 50 states. With the exception of adoptions of children between close relatives, the ICPC applies where the birth family and the adopting family live in different states, even if the birth mother travels into New York to give birth. The ICPC is a procedure by which the social services agencies of both the birth parents’ state (known as the “sending” state) and the adoptive family’s state (known as the “receiving” state) must review and approve all of the documentation related to the placement. In a typical ICPC scenario, the birth family’s attorney will file the paperwork immediately after the termination documents are signed, either by hand delivery or Federal Express. Once the sending state has approved the placement, the package is couriered/overnighted to the receiving state’s social services agency for approval. The adoptive family may not bring the baby into their state until both stat
