Section 400.12605. Adoptive family evaluation.

(1) An agency social service worker shall complete a written adoptive evaluation within 90 days of the family signing an adoption application and prior to approving a family for adoption.

(2)   The report shall include the dates and places of contacts and persons interviewed or observed.

(3)   The report shall be an assessment of all of the following:

(a)   Visits at the residence of the applicants for adoption to conduct observations of, and interviews with, each member of the household to determine all of the following:

(i)   Marital and family status and history, including current and past level of family functioning and relationships and any incidents of domestic violence.

(ii)   Educational history and any special skills and interests.

(iii)     Employment history, current financial status, including property and income, money management skills and outstanding financial obligations.

(iv)   Physical, mental, and emotional health of each member of the household.

(v)   Any history of substance abuse of each member of the household.

(vi)   Parenting skills and attitudes toward children.

(vii)   Methods of discipline of children.

(viii)      Adjustment  and  special  needs   of  the  applicant’s  own  children,  including children not living in the home.

(ix)   Strengths and weaknesses of each member of the household.

(x)   Experiences with own parents and any history of out-of-home care.

(xi)   Reasons for adopting.

(xii)   Previous licenses or experience in providing child foster care, child day care, or adult foster care.

(xiii)        Willingness   to    accept   an    adoptive   child    with   the   child’s   individual characteristics, needs, and background.

(xiv)      Willingness   to  parent  cross-racially  or  cross-culturally   and  to  create   an atmosphere that fosters the racial identity and culture of an adopted child.

(xv)   Willingness and ability to understand an adopted child’s attachment to the birth family and other significant relationships.

(xvi)   An understanding of and willingness to participate in concurrent planning.

(xvii)   Willingness and ability to give an adopted child guidance, love, and affection and accept the child as a member of the household.

(xviii)   Existence of social support system and alternate care providers.

(b)   Previous adoption evaluations or placements.

(c)      Previous criminal convictions, and substantiated child abuse or neglect investigations or concerns brought to the agency’s or department’s attention for any member of the household.

(d)   Three current references from persons not related to the applicants.   There shall be an evaluation of any negative references.

(e)    A medical statement for each member of the household that indicates that the member has no known condition which would affect the care of an adoptive child. The

statement shall be signed by a physician within the 12-month period before the adoptive evaluation.

(f)   Safety and maintenance of the applicant’s house and, property, including but not limited to: sufficient beds and sleeping space, pets, guns and other weapons, and water hazards.

(g)    Assessment of the neighborhood, schools, community, and available resources for the purpose of adoption.

(h)   The plan for guardianship of the child or children in the event of the parent or parents’ death or permanent disability preventing continuation of parental responsibility.

(i)   The family’s plan to discuss adoption with any child adopted.

(j)   Training needs of the family.

(k)   The age, number, gender, race, ethnic background, and special characteristics of children preferred by the applicants.

History: 1998-2000 AACS; 2007 AACS; 2014 AACS.