Investigation Of Petition To Adopt And Report To The Court

Written reports of investigation regarding allegations stated in petitions filed under Section 16-1506, Idaho Code, are filed at the same time as the prospective adoptive family’s adoption home study. The investigation and report may be completed by the department, licensed adoption agency, or certified adoption professional supervising the adoptive placement. Caution is exercised discussing identifying information to avoid revealing information in the petition while attempting to secure the necessary facts for the report. If there is reason to believe the child may be an Indian child and the child’s tribe or the Secretary of the Interior has not received written Notice of Pending Proceedings, the worker must inform the court, the attorney for the petitioner(s) and the independent agency of the need to comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act. The report to the court must address the following: (7-1-25) 01. Legal Availability of the Child. The family services worker or certified adoption professional will interview the family and any other person(s) having knowledge in the matter, review all documentary evidence presented by the petitioner(s), and record the information and source of the information, noting any discrepancies. Such documentary evidence must include the following: (7-1-25) a. Birth certificate of the child; (7-1-25) b. Consent(s) of the child's parent(s) to terminate their parental rights, termination decrees for any parent(s) whose parental rights have been terminated involuntarily by the court, and documentation of marriage and divorce; (7-1-25) c. Termination decrees for any parent(s) whose parental rights have been terminated involuntarily by the court; (7-1-25) d. Documentation of marriage and divorce; (7-1-25) e. If the child is an Indian child, a copy of the Notice of Pending Proceedings for Termination of Parental Rights, and the return receipts showing that the notice was received by the Indian child’s parent(s) or Indian IDAHO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE IDAPA 16.06.01 Department of Health and Welfare Child and Family Services Section 870 Page 38 custodian(s), and the child’s tribe; (3-15-22) f. Consent to adoption has been secured for all persons from whom it is required, including a legal guardian(s), to make the child legally available for adoption; (3-15-22) g. Death certificate of a deceased parent; (7-1-25) h. Verification from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the registry of any putative father; and (3-15-22) i. The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children Form 100-A, for a child born outside of the state of Idaho, to determine if required state authorizations have been given, or if the Compact does not apply. (3-15-22) 02. Needs of the Child. History of the child and the child’s birth family including: (7-1-25) a. Information about the child's previous adoptive family and the circumstances of the disruption if the child was previously adopted; (7-1-25) b. Detailed description of the circumstances that brought about the placement with the prospective adoptive family; (7-1-25) c. Social, medical, and genetic history forms must be completed, made available to the prospective adoptive family, and submitted to the court, showing reasonably known or available medical and genetic information regarding both birth parents and the child, as well as reasonably known or available providers of medical care and services to birth parents and child; and (7-1-25) d. The appropriateness of the prospective adoptive family for the particular child or children who are the subject of the petition including any alleged relative or stepparent relationship between the child and the prospective adoptive parent(s) specifying any documentary evidence of that relationship. (7-1-25) 03. Evaluation and Recommendation. A brief summary of data presented in prior sections and the adoption home study, supporting the recommendation regarding the adoption. (7-1-25) 864. -- 869. (RESERVED)