ICPC State Pages

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

Types of Home Studies

Kansas conducts the following types of home studies:

• Relative Care
• Foster Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Parent Care
• Foster- Adopt
• Adoption

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

• Yes

Kansas considers a home study as current/valid for:

• Public: 1 year
• Private: 1 year

Private Contract Services - Home Study

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

• No

As the Receiving State, Kansas 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, Kansas 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):

• No

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:

• No

Foster Care Home Study

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

• No

Parent Home Study

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

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:

Relative/Kinship Home Study

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

• Yes

Define Relative:

• A person who can trace a blood tie to a child.  Persons related by blood include a parent, grandparent, sibling, great-grandparent, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece, great-great-grandparent, great uncle or aunt, first cousin, great-great-great grandparent, great-great uncle or aunt, or a first cousin once removed (the child of a first cousin).  Termination of parental rights does not alter or eliminate the blood relationship to other relatives. 

  A person who is or was related to the child through marriage and with whom the child maintains a kinship relationship.  This includes but is not limited to step paretns, step grandparents, step uncles and step aunts to the first degree, even though the marriage may have ended in divorce.

  Legally adoptive parents and other relatives of adoptive parents as designated in groups (1) and (2).

  The spounses or former spouses (after marriage is terminated by death or divorce) of any persons names in the above groups.

Relatives must be licensed:

• No

Proof of Paternity is required:

• Yes :

Kansas 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.):

• 1st Degree (mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter)
• 2nd Degree (grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousin)
• 3rd Degree (great grandmother, great grandfather, great aunt, great uncle, grand-niece, grand nephew, second cousin)
• 4th Degree (great, great-grandmother, great, great-grandfather, great, great aunt, great, great aunt, great, great uncle, great grand-niece, great grand nephew, third cousin)
• Godmother, Godfather
• Other

Regulation 7 Priority Placement

Kansas 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):

• 60 days

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

• 60 days

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):

• 60 days

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

• 60 days

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

• Date stamped in the ICPC Office.

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

Criminal Record Checks

Kansas requires criminal background checks for the following home studies:

• Foster Care
• Relative Care
• Relative-Foster Care
• Foster-Adopt
• Adoption
• Parent

Type of Checks (Crim. & Abuse Neglect Registry)

Kansas 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: 4-7 days
• Local/County: 4-7 days