How To Prepare For A Foster Care Home Study

Preparing for a Home Study is a necessary part of the fostering process. Once the application and foster parenting classes are completed, the home study comes next. While laws vary from state-to-state, foster care agencies must assure that foster homes are safe, nurturing, and in the best interest of the child. Here are five tips to help you prepare for a foster care home study within your home.

1. Use a checklist.

Your foster care agency may have a checklist they can give you regarding the requirements they are looking for. A good agency wants to help you qualify, so that you can pass and provide quality care for children in need. They will also be on your side through the entire process. From beginning to finish, you should feel supported by your foster care agency the entire journey.

2. Prepare the bedroom.

Prepare the room your foster child will stay in, so that the agency can get an idea as to how your child will feel living there. Install an appropriately sized bed and make room for clothing storage. Lightly decorate and set up comfortable bedding, so that the room is ready for your future foster child to add personal touches. If you decide to foster several children, make sure you have proper accommodations to meet the needs of each child.

3. Clean, but don’t overdo it.

While you want to show off your home as a tidy space, don’t feel the need to drive yourself too crazy. Foster care agencies want to make sure your house is liveable, safe, and nurturing. A few stray items here or there are not going to work against you in the long-run. Clean so that you are comfortable with visitors and can focus on the conversation at-hand rather than what others may be thinking.

4. Be prepared to answer questions.

The foster care agency interviewing you will want to get a broad idea about your daily activities and routines. Reflect on your current parenting practices (if you are a parent) or take some time to form a planned routine for your foster child. This will give the agency a feel for the structure of your home and whether or not it is compatible with a foster child.

5. Be Yourself

While it’s normal to become nervous about the home study process, it’s important not to fret. Most agencies are looking for real people that are willing to make a commitment toward caring for children in need. Most are willing to be flexible and work with you regarding minor details.

Planning for a foster care home study can make anyone nervous. Follow these guidelines to help you prepare for the journey ahead. While the process can be intimidating, most would agree it is worth it in the end. The bond between a foster parent and foster child is strong enough to last a lifetime, and being a foster parent allows you to truly make a difference in someone’s life for the better.

Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency licensed by the State of Illinois, a member of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).