Home study tomorrow!!!!!!Questions?

Randy B

Other then a quick walk through of the house, to make sure it's livable, they will most likely spend the majority of the time sitting with you in the living room or around the dining room table. It's a rather informal process. They may, depending upon the rules in your area, want to see where you store chemicals or even check the temp of your hot water tank but thats normally things reserved for a safety inspecting in the event you want to foster. Again, it depends upon the rules in your area.

I'm sure you are doing like my wife and I did as well as many others. We all tend to "over think" things when it's new. Based on my experience, just make sure things are presentable and safe and you are good to go.

Good luck. I'm sure things will be fine.

reneaumommy

They will not go through your cabinets but they might ask where chemicals and such are stored so if they are under the sink they will have you show them. They will want them to be locked up or placed high up on a shelf so a child can get them. They will look around and look for possible dangers. It is really no big deal.

Mom to Foster Children

Depends on who you get? Our home study - they just walked thru the house and looked at bedrooms and bathrooms etc...My hubby's cousin home study was a little more detailed - they looked in their fridge to see (I guess) how much food was in there...they never said anything - or maybe they are just that way...but they shouldn't go looking in places like that.

auntiepups

they will make sure you have electric,water,heat,air,fire extinguishers,smoke detectors,working sinks and toilets

some of them might look through some things but they don't pay attention to what food you have or how organized they are

make sure you don't have alcoholic drinks or anything like that in your fridge or where they can see it

DixieMom

First of all, Congratulations! My husband and I had a home study done less than 2 years ago. We have a beautiful 17 month old boy now! The process is not nearly as bad as people have been led to believe. Our case worker certainly did not look in our drawers, cabinets, closets or anywhere else! She did a tour of our home, and checked for fire extinguishers, smoke detectors etc... The intense questioning about your background, childhood, parenting style, outlook on life, etc... is the grueling part just because it taxes your brain to think of answers to all of the philisophical questions. Just think of the case worker as an advocate helping you achieve your dream of being a foster parent or adoptive parent! Congrats again.

Mostly likely they will not go through your cabinets and drawers to make sure they're clean, but, they probably will ask you about latches for the cabinets if you don't already have them.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you are unsure about any safety issues, etc.

The most important thing to remember is to be yourself during the homestudy

sizesmith

Some workers are much more thorough than others, and might actually look in drawers like kitchen ones, to make sure knives and poisons are out of reach. One of the main things they'll look for is to make sure things like poisons, including laundry detergent, tylenol, medications, dyes, even things like paint and glues, are in a locked cabinet. Medications always have to be locked up, including over the counter ones. Also, we were told that for foster parenting, that knives have to be locked up, even if it's in a simple tackle box.

Not only do they look at the overall house, they also look to see if perhaps it's too clean. I'm a messy housekeeper, and I just told her flat out that if she looked in the closets, they were going to be filled with craft stuff, etc, and weren't cleaned out. She put on our homestudy that the house had "a slightly cluttered, artistic atmosphere", and that overall, it was clean and functional.

Also, if you don't have kids in the house yet, explain that you realize that things like razors that you have on the bathroom cabinet will be removed before kids are placed. Good luck

skyler

When they did my home study they just walked through my house the only thing that they did was in the state of florida they have to test your frig. not sure if they have to do it every where so they opened up my frig and placed something in there for a few minutes and then took it back out. That was the only thing that they opened. it was really easy there is nothing to worry about they just want to make sure that you have enough room in your house and that it is safe. try not to worry and good luck!

ChesterElegante

From what I've been told at adoption meetings, provided by a reputable adoption service, the main reason for a home study is to make sure that there is actually a home at the address you have provided and that you live in it. Outside of that I wouldn't worry about this meeting long as there is not anything that obviously might pose a serious threat to a child.

Independ"ant"

Why clean the house up for them...they want to see how you live.

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