Getting Foster Care License for ICPC for kinship adoption

Remember that a homestudy is NOT primarily about your house!The homestudy social worker will first focus on two issues:1. Are there any things in your background or view of adoption that would make you unsuitable as a foster or adoptive parent? As an example, if you come across as being negative about birthmothers, or if you and your spouse are not "on the same page" about adopting or fostering, that could be an issue. If your home seems to focus excessively on alcohol consumption, with posters about booze, bars on every floor, etc., that would be an issue. If you were abused as a child, the social worker will want to know that you've had counseling to work through your grief and anger and learn healthy ways to parent.2. How well prepared are you to adopt/foster? Do you understand that the children may have medical and psychological issues related to their life circumstances? Do you understand that parenting an adopted or foster child may be more challenging than parenting a homegrown child? Do you know what resources are available in your community to help deal with your child's medical, mental health, or educational needs? Have you thought about how you will deal with the child's grief over moving to a new home, his/her questions about why his/her birthmother couldn't take care of him/her, or his/her experiences in school with "family trees" or kids who ask rude questions about adoption/foster care? One of the important roles of the homestudy worker is to help you become a better foster or adoptive parent.The home visit is NOT as scary as most prospective parents imagine. The social worker does not care if your closets are neat and organized, if there are a few dust bunnies under the bed, or if your furniture does not match. Basically, the social worker wants to see if your home is safe and welcoming. Generally, if you would feel comfortable inviting your boss or your inlaws over for dinner, your home is probably fine.The homestudy is also NOT a pop quiz. You have every right to ask your social worker, in advance, questions like, "Do I need a fire extinguisher in the garage? I have one in the kitchen, and there's one right near the door to the deck, where the barbecue grill is," or "Do we have to have the crib already set up for a new arrival?" or even, "Are you afraid of or allergic to dogs? We have a mastiff; she's as gentle as a lamb, but she weighs 130 lb. She's up to date on her shots, loves people, and has been to obedience school, but she thinks she's a lap dog.." The social worker will appreciate your concern for complying with all the rules -- and for preparing her for a big slobbery dog who wants to join her on the sofa.Most states don't require the child's room to be set up in advance. I'm not sure about foster care, but in adoption, with the long waits that many people have, parents can often take their time clearing out the sewing room/general storage room, and decorating it for a new child. As long as the social worker sees that the room meets state and local codes -- for example, if it has a window, a closet, and a certain amount of square footage, plus easy -- and as long as you have a game plan for all the junk currently in the room, it's usually fine. Likewise, most social workers don't need to see the actual baby furniture. However, for the safety of your new child, make sure that your crib has closely spaced slats so the child cannot catch his head between them, does not have peeling paint or sharp edges, and so on. A good baby book will give you guidance on what's safe and what isn't.Likewise, most states don't require all childproofing to be completed for the homestudy, though some may. Usually, you can simply point out your plans for childproofing or show her the gadgets you've bought, but not installed yet. It's not a bad idea to get started, though. And DO make sure that your smoke detectors are in working order before the social worker visits. Some states also require a visit by the fire marshal. In general, it's not a bad idea to get down onto the floor and look at your house from the vantage point of a young child. Electrical cords? Electrical outlets? Hanging drapery cords? Cute little tables that could tip over if a child pulls on them? Sharp edges? Drawers that could be pulled out and stood on, toppling the entire dresser? If you can imagine it, your child can, too. Have a childproofing plan, and if you have questions, ask your social worker. Most social workers won't ask, specifically, about what you'll do with small toys, so a baby can't put them in his/her mouth; however, if the subject comes up because your son is in the room, playing, while the social worker visits, you will need a game plan -- perhaps putting up a baby gate across the doorway to your son's room, so that the baby can't crawl in while he's playing with toys that have small pieces.States DO tend to have some big concerns, however, that must be addressed. If there's a body of water -- a pool, a fish pond, or even a drainage ditch -- on your property, it needs to be fenced off so that it is inaccessible to the child. Drowning is one of the major causes of child deaths, and with a young child, drowning can happen in just a few inches of water. Many people who have pools also put alarms on doors leading out of the house, so that a child can't sneak out and head for the water, without being noticed. States also tend to focus on things like the need for handrails on all staircases, so that falls are less likely.All in all, don't sweat the home visit. In most cases, if there's something that is fixable, which the homestudy worker notices, she won't disapprove you; she'll simply wait till you have it fixed, before approving you. Just focus on giving the homestudy worker accurate information -- don't forget that pesky misdemeanor you had ten years ago, because failure to disclose can be grounds for disqualification -- and on working with the social worker to make yourself an even better parent than you already are.Sharon