[tbmichals]

The SW is coming to our house for the first time on Thursday. What should I expect? Do I need to have the bassinet (however you spell it) set up or a bed or something? Will they look in cabinets and all that?

[annrie]

Hi!

We have been through two home visits. Actually, they came out twice each time. It's no where near as scarey as it seems. Both times they just came out, filled out paperwork, asked a lot of questions, took pictures of the house, looked around the yard and that was it. They don't look in cabinets, but they do look in closets to see if you have enough space, I guess. Your bedrooms have to be big enough and so forth. They explain about having things out of reach for a baby or toddler, smoke alarms (have new batteries because they do check them), fire extinguisher in kitchen. I found both of the caseworkers to be very nice that we have worked with.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

[annrie]

Forgot to mention, we didn't have to have a baby bed or bassinet up or anything, but she said we needed to have access to one in case we are called with a placement. I refuse to have to look at a baby bed until I am fairly sure we are going to have a baby or toddler to put in it. It could be months before you get a placement and that is a long time to have to look at an empty bed. I plan on just keeping ours boxed until we need it. It might be different where you are, we are in Louisiana. Hope it works out for you!

[wanabe mom]

Don't worry too much about it. When they came to our house we filled out forms, they walked around the inside and outside of our house to make sure it was safe, enough room, etc. We didn't have anything for our room during our home study, but made it clear we would get it together as soon as we were approved.

I have seen several people on this board and others who bought a lot of kid/baby stuff before they were licensed, only to be denied for one reason or another. If you already have some of the stuff at home, it might be helpful to let them know what you already have and let them know you will get what else you need once you are licensed. They don't expect you go spend a lot of money before you are going to be a licensed foster parent.

Good luck!

[sfbaymom2000]

Hi,

We are still in the homestudy process (in CA), but I was told during our home visit that we did need to have a bed in place to be licensed (which we do). An experienced adoptive mom had recommended that we have the room as ready as possible when the SW visited. We will be putting the new child in my daughter's recently redecorated bedroom, and then redecorating the guest room for C., our bio daughter. In any case, the SW said it was good that we had a bed for each of them (already). This does probably vary from one area and state to another. Also, our SW did look in cabinets, but because I opened them. She would ask about medicines, knives, First Aid Kit, etc. and I just opened that particular cabinet to show her that they were locked up, out of reach, accessible (First Aid), or whatever applied.

Good luck to you all,

Lynn

[newkid]

Hi! I'm in La. too. We were told that we just had to have access to a crib. When we received a call about a placement for an infant we just went and got the crib from a friend. Hope you get a placement soon after you are licensed.