[angelical]

How long should we expect the background check and child abuse check to take? We are in PA.

Thanks!

[JuliannaTeresa]

For Livescan 72 working days business hours not counting weekends.

In summer, where I live Teachers are required to be fingerprinted, and they are given Priority Status ahead of Adoption for some reason.

[DianeS]

What JuliannaTeresa is talking about is the fingerprint check. If your prints are scanned by a computer and computer-compared, it can take as little as 72 hours.

However, we all know that most social services agencies aren't up on the latest technology! The old-fashioned federal fingerprint check can take as long as 6 weeks. The local one can take less, depending on where you live, and sometimes they're nice enough to run the two checks at the same time! (Imagine that...)

For the local, in addition to fingerprints you often have your name run through all the local police precincts' computers in case you have a "pending" local case that isn't complete with a verdict yet. On the one hand, you don't want anyone falling through the cracks (like an accused child abuser allowed to adopt because he hasn't been found guilty "yet"). But on the other hand, if you have a common name then the search will turn up many possibles, and it takes a while to prove that YOU are not any of THEM. So that time frame can vary.

If you've recently moved from somewhere else, they often have to do the local check in that area, too.

Our agency tells us to expect about 6 weeks, since they're one of the ones that runs everything at the same time, thank goodness!

[angelical]

Our SW hasnt said anything about fingerprinting. Is that usually needed for state adoptions (we are in PA)?

We just had to fill out two forms, one for criminal background & one for child abuse check.

Thanks!

[DianeS]

Yep, as far as I know it is always needed. They shouldn't be content to check your name(s), as it's too easy to change your identity nowadays.

[ketingle]

In Oklahoma, you are only required to have fingerprints done if you have lived in the state less than 10 years, so I don't know about PA. Our fingerprints took 3 1/2 months, and they told us it would take 6 months. The background check was a week or two.
It must differ from state to state.

[lucyjoy]

MO doesn't fingerprint. They file written background checks. 8 weeks is the longest we waited and that was a timing issue. The rest of the times were about 4 weeks.

[wanttobeparents]

North Carolina does not require fingerprints for domestic adoption. You just need the police clearance. If the baby is coming from a state that requires fingerprinting, there is a chance that you may need fingerprints. I lived here all my life (except 2 years spent in TN), so there may be a residency requirement, I don't know for sure.

Peggy

[Pblair]

Ky doesn't require fingerprinting either our check took backgrund and criminal check took about 3 weeks.
Pat

[Judilyn]

Our fingerprinting/background check took forever, we wre in Illinois. Part of the problem was that my husband lived in Germany for a while so they had to check out his background from his stay in Germany. He was in the army there. It took about 3 months to get back.

[Georgia Mom]

Our adoptions have been through the state foster care system. They all require fingerprints and background checks. We recently got recertified to be therapeutic foster parents here in Georgia. Our prints took over 4 months to clear, and the agency still doesn't have our original cards back to go in our file. We got printed before Christmas. I wish we had a 72 hour system!!! To make matters worse, if we find a child who can't go through the TFC agency, we will have to be fingerprinted AGAIN for DFCS. This system needs a MAJOR overhaul.

[tobeafamily]

But TExas does. It took 4 weeks for our Virginia criminal background checks to come back. When DS was born in Texas and we decided to finalize there, we had to provide fingerprints. That took 4 weeks and DH had to submit a second set because they couldn't read his first set.

As you can see, fingerprinting requirements vary from state to state and by whether this is a parental placement or foster care adoption. Seems though that the 'norm' is 4-6 weeks.

HTH

Regina, Amom to Ryan Joshua Thomas