One of the major steps of the adoption process through the St. Elizabeth Foundation is a thorough home study. A social worker will interview the adoptive parents in their home. And, they will inspect the home to ensure that it is appropriate for a new child. How can you make sure that your home is prepared for inspection? Here are some tips from our Baton Rouge adoption agency to help you get ready for your home study.
Make Sure All Alarms Are in Working Order
A representative from our Baton Rouge adoption agency is going to inspect your home for any possible safety hazards. This includes making sure that your fire alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) monitors are functioning! If a fire breaks out in your home, you should have preventative measures and emergency planning in place to keep your family safe. In addition to a working fire alarm, you should also have an extinguisher on hand in case of an emergency. And, have an escape plan that you can tell a social worker should a fire or other disasters strike your home.
Keep Toxic or Dangerous Products Out of Reach
Children are curious, even in infancy! Whether your baby is crawling or walking, you want to make sure that any harmful items are kept away from searching hands. Store cleaners and chemicals in child-locked cabinets or up on shelves. Make sure that plants within reach are not poisonous and don’t have sharp edges. And, when in doubt, childproof rooms and table edges to ensure that your child stays safe as they roam.
Train or Secure Animals for the Child’s Arrival
Animals must adjust to new family members just as parents and siblings do. If your animals don’t do well around strangers, it’s essential to find ways to slowly and carefully introduce them to your new child. Bring items with the child’s scent on them, like a pair of socks or a blanket, to your pet for an initial introduction. But, don’t use this as your main means of contact. Make sure that your pet is leashed, and keep your baby secure in your arms to protect them from any unexpected aggression. Keep interactions slow and supervised, and use pet gates or crates as safety barriers between the baby and pet as needed.
Check Fences and Window Screens
If you are going to have a child playing in your yard or inside your house, it is important to make sure that all protective barriers are working and in place. Fences and window screens can be utilized to prevent children from getting too close to dangerous areas of the home. This is especially necessary to keep children from accessing stairs, pushing through windows, or wandering near outdoor pools. Check the stability of your current fences and screens, and purchase child gates to segment child-safe areas within your home.
Keep Things Clean!
Before our Baton Rouge adoption agency visits your home to perform your mandatory home study, make sure to clean your house! This may sound self-explanatory, but a neat home speaks volumes to an agency. While a little dust won’t make or break your home study, make sure that trash, safety hazards, and obstacles are thrown out or put away. And, make sure that the room the child will be staying in is clean, organized, and ready for when they arrive.
Begin Your Baton Rouge Adoption Today
Have you been considering adoption? At the St. Elizabeth Foundation, we are passionate about supporting birth mothers and connecting newborns to loving adoptive families. No matter if you are looking for solutions to an unexpected pregnancy or are interested in bringing a child into your home, our experts can help with counseling and thorough preparation. Give us a call at 225-769-8888, or send us a message online! We are excited to share more information with you and help you begin your adoption journey.