tennessee home studies - what are they?
Almost every adoption in Tennessee requires an adoption home study. In fact, the only adoptions that allow parents to skip the home study are adoptions where the parents are related to the child. Even in these adoptions, the law allows the Court to waive the home study, but a court does not have to waive it.
Even if you plan to adopt a related child, you should know the basics of Tennessee home studies before you begin the adoption process. It may seem overwhelming, but with preparation, your home study will be smooth and (almost) stress-free.
What is Adoption Home Study in Tennessee?
In general, a Tennessee home study is an inquiry into an adoptive family and their home, reviewing the family's suitability to adopt. It's an overview of the adoptive family's life or lives.
A licensed child-placing or adoption agency, social worker, or the Department of Children's Services (in cases of indigent adoptive parents) must conduct the home study. To be valid, the home study must have been completed or updated within one year before the date of the finalization of the adoption, when the Order of Reference is issued. A preliminary home study must be completed within thirty days before filing an adoption petition.
In general, the home study includes background checks, a collection of important documents, interviews, and home visits. The home study is a very important part of any adoption, but the requirement for the home study may be waived by the Court if the adoptive parent is related to the child.
What Does a Home Study Entail?
So, your adoption requires a home study. That's normal, even though it can be daunting and a little scary. There's a laundry list of tasks and items you need and you have a state-licensed professional reviewing everything. It sounds overwhelming, but you'll get through it.
Different agencies have different practices and requirements, but you can probably expect the home study to include:
Reference letters (and phone calls to those references);
Criminal background check;
Verification of identity and employment;
Investigation of finances to verify whether the prospective adoptive parents are financially able to care for a child and are responsible with money;
Interviews with family members and everyone else living in the household to confirm that there is no abuse in the house and to assess the stability of the household;
Health examinations, or recent medical records showing that the adoptive parents have a normal life expectancy and are generally in good health; and of course,
Home visits to confirm that the home is a safe environment for a new family member. These home inspections include looking for health risks, pet vaccinations, secured cleaning supplies, and firearms, working smoke detectors, and sufficient space for another child.
As you can imagine, the health and safety of the home and its occupants is important. That is why all members of the household must participate in the home study. Even though there is a lot to look at, social workers and agencies have a wealth of information. They are able to advise prospective adoptive parents about things to fix or improve and have a good amount of knowledge about the adoption process.
What Documentation is Required for a Home Study in Tennessee?
When getting started with the home study process, you'll have to provide various documents to the agency or worker. Different agencies have different requirements, but prepare to hand over birth certificates, marriage licenses, letters of recommendation, financial documents, medical records, and of course, forms that the agency will have for you to fill out.
The more organized you are, the better. Adoptions require a large number of documents, but these documents will serve to help you prove to the court that you are emotionally, physically, and financially able to care for another child. So, it's worthwhile to get your documents together early and thoroughly.
Remember, you want to make the agency's job as easy as possible.
How Long Does it Take to Complete the Home Study?
You can expect the home study process to take anywhere from three to six months. Keep in mind that the actual time frame varies from case to case. Much of this will depend on the agency but prepare to step in, answer questions, and provide documents when needed.
The actual home visit is usually a couple of hours, depending on the size of the home, the number of pets you have, and the number of people living there. The worker must be thorough and will check everything from child-proof cabinet locks to the smoke detectors.
How to Prepare for a Tennessee Adoption Home Study
If you want to prepare for your home study, you can start by collecting all of the documents that you may need to give to the adoption specialist or social worker. These documents should include the following:
Driver’s licenses or other government-issued identification;
Birth certificates;
Marriage licenses;
Proof(s) of insurance;
Tax returns and recent paychecks or records;
Physician statements and medical records for you, your spouse, and anyone else living in the home;
Adoption reference letters from family, friends, and others;
Previous adoption decrees (if you've adopted before); and,
Criminal background checks.
As far as your home visits go, you'll want to make sure that you have some basics in place:
Locks on all doors and windows (make sure they all work)
Baby gates for staircases;
Dangerous substances and tools placed out of reach of children, including power tools, firearms, and cleaning supplies;
Outlets covered;
Emergency phone numbers and evacuation plans in a prominent or accessible place;
Working smoke detectors and CO2 detectors;
A working and charged fire extinguisher; and,
First-aid kit.
Home Study Professionals and Services in Tennessee
There are quite a few professional agencies in Tennessee that complete home studies. A full list is produced by the Department of Children's Services and can be read here.
Tennessee Department of Children's Services
If you qualify, the TN DCS may conduct your home study. Their contact information is here:
State of Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
Office of Child Welfare Licensing
UBS Tower, 7th Floor
315 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 532-5640
Website: tn.gov/dcs/program-areas/foster-care-and-adoption
Common Private Agencies
While the exhaustive list is linked above, some of the more common agencies used in Tennessee are as follows:
Harmony Family Center
118 Mabry Hood Rd., Suite 400
Knoxville, TN 37922
Phone: 865-982-5225
Website: harmonyfamilycenter.org
Destiny Adoption & Consulting Services
13047 Kingston Pike
Farragut, TN 37934
Phone: 865-392-6261
Website: destinyadoption.com
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee
318 N. Gay Street, Ste. 100
Knoxville, TN 37917
Phone: 865-524-9896
Website: ccetn.org
Bethany Christian Services
318 Erin Drive, Suite 10
Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: 865-588-5283
Website: bethany.org
Talk to an Attorney
If you are working on your home study and are ready to finalize your adoption, we would love to help you complete your adoption journey. If you have any questions or are ready to talk, book a consultation today.
