Preparing your Home for your new Adoptive Child

During your home study, your adoption worker will let you know what the regulations are for your home. Most states require you to adhere to foster care regulations. You should receive a copy of the regulations, or you may request it earlier. Most states have these requirements online. There are regulations regarding the square footage per person in the house, the number of people per bathroom, discipline regulations, allowance, and safety requirements.

Read the guidelines thoroughly, and make sure that your home complies with the guidelines. You may need to do things like adding outlet covers, posting emergency numbers and a fire evacuation plan, make sure all chemicals are out of a child’s reach, and that all fire arms have trigger locks, and are out of a child’s reach. These things are all easy to do, but having them done ahead of time will make your home study easier. If you have to do them during your home study, it will make it take longer.

Think of your home from a child's perspective. Where could they hurt themselves? What will they touch?

Get down on the level of the child you are looking to adopt. Are there things that are sentimental to you, or that you don’t want broken? Things you wouldn’t want to get lost or stolen? If you don’t have other children in the house, “borrow” someone else’s child and see what he gets into that would bother you. Think of the age of the child. A baby or toddler will have different needs to an adolescent. 

If a child has been sexually abused, or has night time fears, adding an alarm to their door or a nightlight, may help to ease fears. The alarm lets a child know if someone is entering their room. It will also help you know if the child is getting up during the night. You may also want to look into security cameras.