Home studies are required for almost all Texas adoptions. If you’re considering adopting or starting the process, you must understand the Texas adoption home study requirements.
A home study for adoption in Texas is also called an adoption evaluation.
What Are the Texas Adoption Home Study Requirements?
Texas home study requirements include looking into the personal history of each person living in the home. There will be interviews with each adoptive parent, other adults living in the home, and children ages 4+. The evaluator will visit the home at least once, looking for health and safety issues. The evaluation will include criminal, employment, financial, and abuse and neglect histories.
What Is a Home Study?
A home study is an evaluation of a prospective adoptive parent’s fitness to adopt. The physical home itself is evaluated, but the home study is broader than that. It reviews the circumstances of the prospective adoptive family. A home study is a compilation of a personal evaluation and information that may be relevant to determining fitness to adopt.
Legal Requirements for Home Studies in Texas
- Several interviews must be conducted. Those living in the home must be interviewed, but minor children 12 years and older not living in the home and adult children not living at home must also be interviewed.
- Evaluators must verify facts as much as possible.
- A local court may impose additional rules if they do not conflict with state law.
- The evaluator may access unredacted records regarding abuse and neglect relating to any person in the home.
- Each interview will be documented and summarized.
- If someone who is not living in the home cannot be reached, the report must document the attempts to reach them.
- Many documents must be compiled relating to personal history and fitness to adopt.
Note: The court may waive a home study for an uncontested adoption if it involves a stepparent. The court must still review criminal record information.
What To Expect During the Home Visit
All members of the household must be present for the home visit. The home visit will identify any potential safety or health issues. Evaluators are looking for a clean and safe home, free of fire and other hazards. The home must be large enough to accommodate everyone.
There must be at least one family group interview with all the family members living at home and another with just the adoptive parents.
Preparing for Your Home Study
You can start compiling documents in advance of your home study. You can gather:
- Autobiographies, a short life history, and your reasons for adopting
- Photos of the front and back of the house and yard
- Floor plan of the house, dimensions of each room, purpose of each room
- IDs, Social Security cards
- Birth, marriage, and divorce records
- Employment and pay information, income tax returns
- Physical examinations (everyone in the house), any specialist medical information
- References—five total, four must be non-family members
- Insurance policies—home, vehicles, life, other
- Adoption orders for other children
There may be additional information and documents to gather.
Who Conducts the Home Study in Texas?
In Texas, there are multiple people and agencies who may conduct a home study. Private adoption agency workers typically conduct home studies for private adoptions. State social workers, domestic relations office personnel, and court-appointed advocates may also complete a home study.
Who is qualified to conduct a home study for adoption in Texas?
The requirements for who is qualified to conduct a Texas adoption home study are outlined in Texas Family Code § 107.154.
Minimum qualifications include an accredited degree in the human services field and a license to practice in a social services field, listed in Tex. Fam. Code § 107.154)b)(1). There are minimum experience and family violence training requirements.
See the law for a complete list of requirements.
Who pays for the home study?
In Texas, the prospective adoptive parent pays the costs of the home study and criminal history review.
Successfully Completing Your Texas Home Study
People often worry about the home visit portion of their Texas adoption evaluation. There are things you can do to make your evaluation a success. Make sure you have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure electrical outlets, cabinets, and stairs are childproof. Get a first aid kit, and make sure that toxic substances and medication are out of reach.
Seek Experienced Texas Adoption Support
The Texas adoption home study requirements are an important part of any adoption. We invite you to contact Gulf Coast Adoptions for assistance. An experienced Texas adoption lawyer can guide you through the process. Call or message us now.