Adoptive Home Study – The Partner Provider must utilize the Structured Analysis

Adoptive Home Study – The Partner Provider must utilize the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) as its home study assessment. SAFE is a structured home study methodology that allows child welfare agencies/professionals to thoroughly evaluate prospective kinship, foster, adoptive and/or guardianship families in a uniform manner (https://www.safehomestudy.org/). The Partner Provider will include the following areas in the home study and must include the information in the record of the adoptive applicant(s): 1. Motivation for adoption; 2. Verification of training; 3. Strengths and weaknesses of each member of the household; 4. The attitudes and feelings of the immediate and extended family, as well as significant others, toward accepting and parenting adoptive children; 5. Attitudes of the applicant(s) toward the birth parent(s) and the reason(s) the child is in need of adoption; 6. The plan for discussing adoption with children of applicant(s); 7. The plan for discussing adoption with prospective adopted child; 8. Emotional stability and maturity; 9. Ability to cope with problems, stress, frustrations, crises, and loss; 10. Capacity to give and receive affection; 11. Child caring skills and willingness to acquire additional skills needed for the child’s development; 12. Ability to provide for the child’s physical and emotional needs; 13. Verification of marriage(s)/divorce(s); 14. Record of criminal convictions; 15. Criminal background, Central Registry check, and fingerprinting of all household members aged eighteen (18) years and older; 16. Adjustment of birth children or previously adopted children; 17. Verification from a physician that each family member has no communicable diseases, specific illnesses or disabilities, which would interfere with the family’s capability to care for a child; 18. Ability to provide financially for the child or children to be adopted; 19. A detailed description of the finances of the prospective adoptive parent(s) including but not limited to income, debts, expenses, medical insurance and life insurance; 20. Verification of employment and income; 21. Four personal references; 22. Religious orientation, if any; 23. Location and physical environment of the home; 24. Plan for childcare if parent(s) works; 25. Recommendations for adoption in regard to number, age, sex, characteristics, and special needs of children best served by the family; 26. History of the origin, educational background and life experiences of applicant(s); and 27. Contingency plan for adopted child in case of death or disability of adoptive parent(s).