Home Study/Home Evaluation?

[lovehiskids]

My husband is NCP currently trying to obtain custody. His ex-wife is under a DCFS investigation for Neglect and Inadquite Supervision. DCFS mentioned the posibility of a home study or home evaluation to us. What will they be looking for? WHat do we need to do to prepare?

[Kitty C.]

They want to see how you run your home, probably with the possibility that they may need to revert custody to you.

As for the study, do NOT clean the entire place like the Queen of England is gonna stay there.  It must looked lived in and comfortable.  Make sure all smoke, heat, and CO2 detectors and fire extringuishers are operational.  If you don't have them, get them.

You don't mention ages of children, but make sure your home is safe in regards to the age of the children.  If you have toddlers, make sure ALL outlets are covered, all drawers and cupboards within their reach have latches, etc.

Remember, safety first, cleanliness second, tho they can go hand in hand.  Make sure that you have adequate space (bedrooms with dressers, etc., toys, books, play equip. outside) for the kids available, so that if need be, they could move in immediately.

One last suggestion, which worked WONDERS for my home study.  Bake bread or cinnamon rolls or something equally fragrant right before the home study.  It's a trick that many real estate agents use to sell homes, making the appeal of the home that much greater.  The smells signify homey-ness, comfort, and love, something you want to portray in the study.  DS and I were living with my mom at the time of our study and Mom is THE greatest cinnamon roll baker in the world (JMO!).  I left work early that day for the study, to walk in the house to the fantastically delicious smell!  I even offered the social worker a roll while we were chatting!  Needless to say, our report was GLOWING!