Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) establishes procedures for ensuring the safety and stability of placements of children across state lines. The ICPC is the contract between two states when a child has been approved to be placed with a family or facility in another state.

ICPC referrals can be initiated by private parties, courts, attorneys, and private or public child welfare agencies. Under no circumstances can a child be placed in another state without the approval of the ICPC Office. A child welfare agency may send a child to visit a relative in another state for up to 30 days, and during the summer school vacation with court approval without an ICPC.

For additional information about the ICPC and state-by-state contact information, visit the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children opens in a new tab.