One of the first things families want when they start the adoption process is a checklist: a clear list of every document they'll need. It's a great instinct. But before you download the first checklist you find online, there's something important to know.
There's No Single Standard Checklist
Every Florida home study covers the same core areas, but there is no one official checklist that every provider uses. Each home study provider builds its own, and the agency or attorney handling your adoption may have extra requirements of their own. The type of adoption you're pursuing can add items, too.
That means the list below is meant to help you understand what to expect and start preparing. It isn't a replacement for the checklist from your own provider. Always get the full list from the provider completing your home study, so you don't spend time gathering the wrong things or miss something they need.
Working with us? You'll receive our complete checklist and every form you need, in the order we recommend completing them, as soon as you start. You'll always know exactly what's next.
What Nearly Every Florida Home Study Requires
While the details vary, five categories show up on virtually every Florida adoption home study checklist.
1. Background Clearances
Background clearances are required across the board. In Florida, they typically include:
- FBI and FDLE fingerprinting for everyone in the home age 12 and older
- DCF child abuse history check for everyone in the home age 12 and older
- Local background clearance from your county sheriff's office or police department
- Attestation of Good Moral Character, signed by each adult
Our guide to fingerprinting and background checks for a Florida adoption walks through each one.
2. Medical Information
Your provider needs to know that you're healthy enough to care for a child. This usually means:
- A physician's report or health statement for each adoptive parent, completed and signed by your doctor
- A copy of your health insurance card
Having a health condition doesn't automatically disqualify you. The goal is to understand your family's overall health, not to expect perfection.
3. Biographical Information
This is how your provider gets to know who you are, where you come from, and why you want to adopt. Expect to provide:
- A written life summary or autobiography for each adoptive parent
- A family information form covering your household, home, and work
- Birth certificates for household members
- Your marriage certificate, and any divorce decrees, if applicable
4. Financial Information
You don't need to be wealthy to adopt. Your provider just needs to see that you can support a child. Common items include:
- A financial statement showing your income, monthly budget, debts, and assets
- Recent federal tax returns (often just the first pages)
- Employment verification, such as a letter from your employer
5. References
Personal references help your provider see your family through the eyes of people who know you well. The number varies by provider. Many ask for three to five, and we ask for five.
- Personal reference letters from friends, neighbors, coworkers, or others who know you well
References usually send their letters directly to your provider, so give them plenty of notice.
Items That Vary by Provider
Beyond the five core categories, you may see some or all of these on your checklist, depending on your provider, agency, or attorney:
- Adoption education, such as a set number of course hours with certificates of completion
- A floor plan or description of your home
- A firearm safe-storage acknowledgment confirming you understand Florida's safe-storage law
- A guardianship statement naming who would care for your child if you were unable to
- Additional forms required by your adoption agency or attorney
This is exactly why your provider's checklist matters. Two families adopting in Florida can have slightly different lists.
Tips to Get Through Your Checklist Faster
How quickly you finish your checklist is the biggest factor in how long your home study takes. A few habits make a big difference:
- Start the slowest items first. Get fingerprinted, return your DCF background form, and ask your references to write their letters right away.
- Schedule your physician appointment early. Doctors' calendars can fill up.
- Send documents as you finish them instead of waiting to send everything at once.
- Scan instead of photographing documents. Phone photos are often gray and hard to read.
- Name each file clearly, like "John's physician report" or "Mary's birth certificate," so nothing gets mixed up.
- Ask questions. If something on your checklist is unclear, ask your provider before guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Some items, like background clearances, medical information, biographical information, financial information, and references, are required for virtually every Florida home study. Beyond those, each home study provider, agency, and attorney may ask for different documents, so always get the full checklist from your own provider.
Most Florida home studies ask for background clearances, a physician's report, birth certificates, a marriage certificate or divorce decree if applicable, a written life summary or autobiography, financial information such as tax returns and proof of employment, and personal reference letters. Your provider will give you the complete list.
It depends on your provider. Many ask for three to five personal references. At Adoption Support Services of Florida, we ask for five.
Start the items that take the longest. Get fingerprinted, return your DCF background form, and ask your references to write their letters right away, then work on the rest while those are in progress.
The Bottom Line
Every Florida adoption home study will ask for background clearances, medical information, biographical information, financial information, and references. Beyond that, the details depend on your provider, so get your full checklist from them before you start gathering. If you'd like to see exactly what our checklist includes, or you have questions about your situation, reach out. Christen will walk you through it.