The home study for adoption in Oklahoma is one of the lengthiest stages of the adoption process, often lasting several months. This is why hopeful adoptive parents are encouraged to start their home study as soon as possible.

If you’re ready to talk to one of our adoption specialists about the home study, you can contact us today by calling 1-800-ADOPTION or filling out our free online form. But, if you want to find out more about the home study for adoption in Oklahoma, continue reading. 

Prospective adoptive families in Oklahoma will need to be cleared to adopt by an Oklahoma-licensed home study professional, regardless of the type of adoption or adoption professional you choose.

Your adoption home study in Oklahoma is done to verify that you’re mentally, financially and emotionally prepared to adopt. The goal of home studies is to ensure that children will be placed into safe and prepared homes.

The Oklahoma home study for adoption includes two components:

• The submitting of documents

• The in-home visit and family interview

What Documents You’ll Need for Your Oklahoma Home Study

It’s helpful to have all the documents you’ll need for your OK home study gathered up and ready to go so you can avoid any slow-downs. These documents will need to be processed and reviewed by a number of state departments, so it’s a time-consuming process while various entities communicate with one another.

The documents you’ll be asked to submit include:

• Your current health and financial records

• Your birth certificates, marriage licenses, driver’s licenses, pet vaccination records, etc.

• Background checks, FBI fingerprinting, and abuse clearances

• At least three written personal references to act as your reference letter for adoption

• Individual autobiographical statements outlining your intent to adopt a child

• And more

What You’ll Need for Your In-Home Visit

Your in-home visit includes a tour of your home as well as family interviews with your Oklahoma home study adoption professional.

The home tour is done to verify that you have basic health and safety precautions in place to create a safe environment for a child. These precautions include:

• Covered electrical outlets

• Toxic substances like chemicals, cleaners, and medicines stored out the reach of children

• Working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

• Gates on stairways

• Fences around pools or ponds

• And more

Nobody expects your home to be “perfect.” The home study visits simply give you a chance to consider making any preparations you may not have made yet prior to placement with a child.

During interviews with your home study professional, he or she may talk to you and your family in a potential range of settings; separately, as a couple, as a group, etc. You’ll talk about how you feel about adoption, your parenting philosophies, how you plan on incorporating adoption into your family and more. This helps your home study provider get to know you and better understand where you’re at emotionally in the adoption process.

When You’ll Need to Update Your OK Adoption Home Study

A completed home study in Oklahoma is valid for up to one year, before which point you’ll need to update it if you haven’t been placed with a child yet.

You’ll also need to update your home study any time you’ve experienced a relatively major change in your life, such as a new job or home. Separate documents within your home study will also need to be updated individually, as they expire at different times based on Oklahoma laws.

Once a child has been placed in your home, you’ll need to complete the post-placement requirements with the guidance of your home study provider prior to your child’s adoption finalization in court several months later.

Oklahoma Adoption Home Study Checklist

There are a number of things you’ll need to complete a home study for adoption in Oklahoma in addition to submitting the required documents, making home safety upgrades and completing adoption training courses.

You can learn more about the home study process in OK and request an Oklahoma adoption home study checklist by calling your adoption home study provider. You can also call us at 1-800-ADOPTION to learn more about the entire process of adopting in Oklahoma — and how our team will guide you through every step.

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