ICPC State Pages

California Home Studies (Adoption/Foster Care/Kinship/Parent/Relative)

Types of Home Studies

California conducts the following types of home studies:

• Relative Care
• Foster Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Parent Care
• Adoption
• Other

California designates staff in each county/region to conduct home studies and/or process interstate placements:

• Other: Yes, California county ICPC liaisons facilitate home studies for parent/relative/foster family home with county identified workers in the county child welfare services agency. Public agency adoption home studies are completed by county adoption agencies or the CDSS Adoption District Offices Private agency adoption home studies are completed by full service California licensed adoption agencies. Independent adoptions are completed by the counties of Alameda, Los Angeles, and San Diego and the CDSS Adoption District Offices.

California considers a home study as current/valid for:

• Public: 2 years
• Private: 2 years

Private Contract Services - Home Study

As the Sending State, California will pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• Other: Services that local sending agency may deem necessary. Decision to do so is made by the local California sending agency.

As the Receiving State, California will permit a Sending state to pay a contractor or private/independent agency in the Receiving State to conduct a home study:

• No

As the Receiving State, California will accept/update a home study that was not originally conducted by the receiving state or a private contractor acting on behalf of the Receiving State:

• Will not Update or Accept

Adoptive Home Study

Home study for adoption conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Prospective adoptive parents permitted to pay for a pre-adoptive home study:

• Private Adoptions: Yes
• Independent Adoptions: Yes

DCPS contracts for Purchase of Services with private agencies in other states:

• Yes

Foster Care Home Study

Home study for foster care conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Parent Home Study

If child has been removed from the parent, California requires a home study evaluation before reunification:

• California statute requires a supplemental report to be filed with the periodic status review of a case which includes the plan for return and maintenance of the child in a safe home and what actions, if any, have been taken by the parent to correct the problem that caused the child to be made a dependent of the juvenile court.

Non-Custodial Parents: Placements with non-custodial parents are not covered under the ICPC if:

• • A court does not have evidence before it that such parent is unfit;
  • Does not seek such evidence; and
  • Does not retain jurisdiction over the child after the court transfers the child.

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes: Proof of paternity is established in ICPC home study request by sending state and that proof is submitted to California receiving agency.

Relative/Kinship Home Study

Home study for relatives conducted prior to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR):

• Yes

Define Relative:

• Relative means an adult who is related to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship, including stepparents, stepsiblings, and all relatives whose status is preceded by the words "great,""great-great," or "grand," or the spouse of any of these persons, even if the marriage was terminated by death or dissolution

  A "nonrelative extended family member" is defined as any adult caregiver who has an established familial or mentoring relationship with the child. The county welfare department shall verify the existence of a relationship through interviews with the parent and child or with one or more third parties. The parties may include relatives of the child, teachers, medical professionals, clergy, neighbors, and family friends.

Relatives must be licensed:

• Yes

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes : Proof of paternity is established in ICPC home study request by sending state and that proof is submitted to California receiving agency.

California considers the following types and degrees of relation as relative placements. Individuals related in the 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree and 4th degree (You may need to refer to your state's consanguinity chart or state statute to determine relations or relative status.):

• Other

1st degree (Parents) 2nd degree (Grandparents, siblings) 3rd degree (Great grandparents, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces) 4th degree (Great great grandparents, great uncles and aunts, first cousins, grand nephews and nieces) 5th degree (Great grand uncles and aunts, great grand nephews and nieces, first cousins once removed)

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

California performs priority placements:

• Yes

A court ordered Priority 7 conducted if the child is in a DCF shelter or foster home for substantial period of time.

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Public

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of educational training):

• Other: 60 days - Complete home study requests are, on average, processed within 60 days. This process may take longer based on delays resulting from criminal background checks that indicate a criminal history which requires obtaining and reviewing police and court records to process an exemption request, obtaining additional information from prospective caregiver, exceptions and waivers, need for corrections to foster family homes and/or additional information from sending state.

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• Other: A criminal records check is required to complete a home study.

Wait Time (ICPC Interstate Home Study) - Private

Average length of time to process and complete a home study with criminal background checks for an interstate placement (Not including completion of education training):

• Other: 60 days - This is based on limited data received in 2009 from private adoption agencies.

Wait time to complete Home Study, only (without criminal records check):

• Other: A criminal records check is required to complete a home study.

California determines the "Date of Receipt" for an interstate home study as:

• Other

Method of requesting, sending, and/or reporting an interstate home study

Criminal Record Checks

California requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

• Foster Care
• Relative Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Adoption
• Other, specified below

California does not currently have a joint foster care and adoption assessment/home study process although under concurrent planning the placement agency assists licensed/approved caregivers that commit to wanting to adopt a child to complete the adoption home study process.
To a complete a parent home study for a child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court a criminal background and child abuse registry check may be made.

Type of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

California requires the following types of criminal background and perpetrator checks (Federal (F), State (S), Local (L), Abuse and Neglect Registry (ANR), Not Required (NR))

Wait Time for Criminal Records Results

Wait time for fingerprint results are:

Live Scan or other technology

• State: 48-72 hours
• Local/County: 48-72 hours

Manually - Fingerprint Card

• State: Not Offered
• Local/County: Not Offered