If a mutual decision has been made for you to adopt the child(ren) in your home, you must begin preparing the child(ren), your own family, and the other children in placement for the changes that will take place. All family members should be in agreement with the adoption, especially any biological children you may have.

The other children in care must be assured that you will continue to provide love and nurturing care for them until a permanent resource is found. If this involves an older child, you may want to consider long-term foster parenting. The children to be adopted must also come to realize that they will be with you permanently and may need to be reassured of this from time to time as children transition in and out of the home. General procedures that occur when foster parents adopt a child in their home include the following:

• Completion of forms 149, 150 and 151. 
• Completion of GPS:MAPP (if not previously completed; may be waived at the agency’s discretion for homes approved prior to this requirement) 
• Agency notification to the Adoption exchange of your selection as an adoption resource for the child. 
• Agency conversion of your foster home assessment to an adoptive home assessment. The following will be required of you to complete the conversion and should be submitted to the agency as soon as possible.
  • Completion of application Form 35 
  • Medical statements on foster parents. If there is an approved medical (form 36) on file in the foster home record and there has been no serious illness of either foster parent, a simple statement from your physician, indicating the status of your health is sufficient.  
  • Current financial statement (Form 44). This will be used in preparing the adoption assistance. 
  • Criminal record report- fingerprints (must be within 5 years of completion of the home conversion). 
  • Copy of marriage certificate, all divorce decrees and/or all death decrees of ex-spouses.

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