Home evaluation for department of family and children services?

Question

I have a set of twin cousins in a foster home right now and I am trying to have them placed in my home so they are coming out to do a home evaluation tomorrow what are they looking for so I can pass this and get them in my home?

Answer 1

as a relative placement the rules might be different then becoming a foster parent. But in general, safety covers on light sockets if kids little, no chemicals under sink, all firearms and power or dangerous tools out of reach. Medicines in high place or lock box and lots of love to give.

Answer 2

They will have to have their own room, mainly they look to see how you live. Cleanness and etc.

Answer 3

I actually do "homestudies" for the state of Utah. Everything needs to be safe for the child. My agency requires the child to have their own bedroom, but if they are siblings, then they can share. Own beds, that are sturdy (not air mattresses).

Windows need to have screens. There must be two exits in case of fire on each level (windows count). Fridge, stove, microwave, etc...needs to be working. There needs to be smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on each level. We require fire a extinguisher. Emergency numbers posted by the phone. 3 steps or more require a banister. Bathrooms must be in working order. Heater must be able to maintain temperature of at least 68 degrees.

Furnace must have cleared space of 6 ft around it. (Or be in its own closet). Medications, firearms, and hazardous materials must be locked. Garbage must be sanitary. Those are the ones I can think of for the actual homestudy. If they don't have any of these things that can be easily fixed, we just let them know what they need to do, and we come back for a follow up visit and most likely we can approve their home.

We also do an intensive interview process to ask them about their marriage, (how they handle issues) extended family(support system), and kids. We also ask the kids in the home some questions about having foster siblings. We also talk to them about their lifestyle, activities, typical day, or week. The questions take about an hour or so, and we have foster kids with disabilities so it's a little more intense.

That is awesome that you are willing to take in your cousins. I wish I had more relatives willing to take in their family. That's so important, and kudos for doing that. I'm sure that because you are related, they will help you in any possible way to make it a successful placement.

I hope this helped you, best of luck!!!

Answer 4

Also, pool, pond, if you have a well they will need the health department to test the water.

Answer 5

they are looking to see if its clean is their room for them do you have their rooms set up and are you really ready for them that is what they are looking out for the kids in what they feel they need is necessary. that is all you have to do is be honest and forthright and it will be ok. show them you are caring loving people and that is all they really want.

Answer 6

They want to make sure your home is safe.  Big enough, clean, room for the kids (i.e. extra bedroom and possible beds)

Answer 7

Very minimal, they let anyone be foster parents these days.

They just want to make sure you have enough room for them, and that everything looks reasonably safe.

Depending on the age of the kids you want to foster I would make sure the house is safe for them, and clean and try not to worry too much, you're family so you already have that in your favor.

Answer 8

basically if your home is big enough for them where they will leep if it is clean if you have children how you interact with them if its a loving envioment if you have good jobs or finacially stable possibly food ect

Answer 9

We had to have a home visit prior to our adoption. Ours was for an international adoption, but I think we had to meet the same requirements for the home visit. I was very nervous about the home visit, but it did not turn out to be a big deal.

They are checking to make sure that your home is safe. The requirements seemed very minimal. I remember when our social worker went through them I was shocked at how low the requirements were. You definitely do not need to have a big, fancy home. They were things like:

-- at least one working bathroom.

-- access to a working telephone (notice it doesn't even say you have to *have* a phone -- just access to one.)

-- we had to show them where the children would sleep (I don't believe we had to actually have the beds yet... Just had to say "we'll put the bed here."

-- no evidence of illegal activities operating from the home, etc.

There were several other requirements that we had to meet before we were officially approved (we had to have a fire inspection by the fire department and develop an evacuation plan, we had to learn CPR, etc.) But the home visit was not a big deal.