[pez collector]

I have mostly been a "lurker", but a few of my "forum friends" know our story. We are hoping to be approved to foster/adopt a silbing group. Our homestudy is completed and approved. Next week, we are having our home inspected for our foster care license. We feel comfortable about most of the items on the Safety Checklist, but I have a couple of questions:
1) Where did you buy a "lock box" to put your prescriptions in?
2) We have a gas burning fireplace that has an attached glass door. Should this meet the standard to prevent burns or do we need a fireplace screen? Our home was built last year.
3) How did you safely store your kitchen knives? I know that they need to be stored up high, but did you put them in a "lock box"?
4) How did you store cleaning supplies? Did you lock them up?
I appreciate any advice that you can give. I look forward to participating more in this forum as our journey progresses. I have learned so much from all of you already. God Bless.

[BrandyHagz]

1) Where did you buy a "lock box" to put your prescriptions in?

I got a Fireproof Safe from Sam’s, and that’s what I use.

2) We have a gas burning fireplace that has an attached glass door. Should this meet the standard to prevent burns or do we need a fireplace screen? Our home was built last year.

We don’t have a fireplace, so I cant help you there…you *could* just go out and buy the screen, to have on hand for the inspection…and if she mentions needing it, tell her you have one on hand, but weren’t sure about the need for it, so you wanted to ask her before you took it out of the package.

3) How did you safely store your kitchen knives? I know that they need to be stored up high, but did you put them in a "lock box"?

I have a butcher block, and I keep it on top of my refrigerator…I take them down when I am cooking and will need them, but then put them right back up when I’m done. It’s a pain, but worth it to keep the kids safe! I even do this when I don’t have a placement, to keep myself in check. (Most of our placements are toddlers)

4) How did you store cleaning supplies? Did you lock them up?

I keep all of my cleaning supplies in a locked cabinet out in the garage…the only thing I keep under the sink is some of that “safe” cleaner…the non-chemical kind you can get at Target.

[SJRandy]

For the lock box, my wife and I used a cash box type of a thing bought at a local office store (Office Max). The ones that have a lock and key.

[AmyAnne]

We have a lock box we purchased at an office supply store for some things we don't want our child to get into. For medications, we simply installed a combination lock on the medicine cabinet. Cleaning supplies are kept in our bathroom. It was not required we lock them up, and it has not been an issue. Our "serious" chemicals are kept in my husband's workroom, which we can lock if need be. Again, this has not been an issue thus far. Our foster-to-adopt son is extremely clear on the fact that he is not to go into that workroom without a parent. (If we ever even suspect he's been in there unsupervised, we lock it up!)

[claschober]

Hi!

To answer your questions we just bought a lockbox at the local Target. Our fireplace is gas burning and has a glass door and it was not questioned by our homestudy worker. As for our knives and cleaning supplies, our worker said they need to be out of reach and high enough on a counter where the children can't reach them. We store our cleaning supplies above our washer and dryer and our knives on a higher shelf. The cleaning supplies that are in the garage we just keep locked up.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Cindy

[pez collector]

Thank you all for your replies!!!!! I appreciate the advice. I knew that I could get great help from the forum. I will let you know how our visit went. God Bless.