Frequently asked questions
Preadoption Education:
1) How do I go about beginning adoption education classes?
Upon inquiring about Family Tyes’ preadoption education, a staff representative will send you a contract outlining information about the course. The signed contract and corresponding service fee is to be sent to Family Tyes via scan or mail. Once Family Tyes staff receive your payment, your course materials will be ordered and an appointment for the first class will be scheduled.
2) How many classes are there? How are they scheduled?
The preadoption education course consists of seven classes which are two to three hours long. Each class is scheduled a minimum of a week apart to allow time for you to complete the assigned homework. Yes, there is homework you complete each week that takes approximately three to four hours of your time. You and the Family Tyes’ representative schedule the meeting dates and times at the end of each class date.
3) What if I have to miss a class?
At Family Tyes, our staff understand sometimes even with the best of intentions, life gets in the way. In the event you have to miss a class, please inform your staff representative you will not be able to attend the regularly scheduled class. The staff representative will do their best to work within your scheduling needs to reschedule the class for a mutually agreed upon time.
3) My course has ended, what is the next step?
Once the preadoption education is complete and you are provided your class certificate of completion, your Family Tyes representative will provide you with information on how to access documents needed to complete your adoption packet. Once the adoption packet is complete, you send the packet and corresponding service fee to Family Tyes via scan or mail. Upon receipt, the packet will be reviewed and your assigned Family Tyes staff person will contact you to schedule the next steps in the adoption home study process.
Adoption Home Study:
1) What is an adoption home study?
An adoption home study is a basic overview of your family's life, history and home. The adoption home study allows the court and the case management agency to determine if a stable emotional, physical and financial environment exists for a prospective adoptive child. Adoption home studies highlight items such as your childhood experiences, view on life and relationships, experiences with children, educational experience, employment experience, home and neighborhood.
2) When does the home study process begin? I heard it takes a long time and requires a lot of paperwork.
Collecting documents for a home study can be time consuming. Items such as birth certificates and marriage licenses can be difficult to obtain but are required to confirm your identity.
If you are completing the adoption education service with Family Tyes Counseling and Consulting, LLC (FTCC) the adoption home study packet is completed once you graduate from the adoption education course. You can work on obtaining the supporting documents (i.e.: marriage certificates, divorce decrees, physician references, etc) while attending the adoption education course as these often take some time to obtain. Do not begin the adoption home study questionnaire until the adoption education course is completed. The information gleaned from the adoption education course is needed prior to completing the adoption questionnaire.
If you are completing the adoption home study only with FTCC you need to complete the adoption packet, sign the adoption home study contract and provide the initial payment before FTCC can begin working with you to complete you adoption home study. These instructions are outlined on the adoption home study contract which is available on the FTCC website.
3) How long does the adoption home study interview take and who has to be there?
On average, an adoption home study interview usually lasts 2 ½ to 3 hours. It takes place in your home. Family Tyes asks to meet everyone who resides in the home. It is imperative all adoptive applicants remain present for the entirety of the interview. In the event the adoptive applicants reside with biological or adoptive children or other relatives/people, Family Tyes asks to meet these individuals; however, they are not required to be present the entirety of the interview. Please note, Florida Statute and the Department of Children and Families policy requires all adults residing in the home 18 or older must be interviewed as part of the adoption home study process.
4) Once the adoption home study interview takes place, how long does it take for our adoption home study to be approved?
Because all adoptive families are unique, there is no easy answer to this question. The writing process for the adoption home study is a back and forth between the adoptive applicants and the Family Tyes staff. Family Tyes staff on average take approximately two weeks from the date of the interview to write a rough draft of the adoption home study. Upon completion of the rough draft, you are provided with the rough draft via email. You are asked to review the rough draft, answer any additional questions and identify any comments. Once you send this back to Family Tyes staff, Family Tyes staff make the necessary changes and return for final approval. It is important to note throughout this process it is common the adoption home study draft travels back and forth from Family Tyes to the adoptive applicants multiple times until everyone is comfortable the report is complete and accurate. Once this happens, Family Tyes staff sends the final copy to the applicants, asking the applicants to print and sign the signature page. The applicants then send the signature page to Family Tyes and Family Tyes then signs and approves the study, sending the approved home study in PDF format to the adoptive applicants. The average length of time for the completion of this process is approximately 1 1/2 months.
4) I am married for the second time and have my current marriage certificate. Is it really necessary for you to have a copy of my divorce from my previous spouse?
Yes, documentation of past divorces and one’s current marriage is required. It is required as it documents the previous divorce and ensures the previous spouse does not have a right to the prospective adoptive child, in the event you are unable to care for the child.
5) What if I don’t have my divorce decree?
You will be required to demonstrate diligent efforts to obtain it. For example this may include a copy of a letter sent to the court in which you were divorced and a response from the court explaining why this divorce decree is not available.
6) I am married but separated. I have been separated for years. My spouse will not be part of the adoption process, will this prevent me from adopting?
Ideally, one would be divorced in order to adopt; however, there are occasions in which one can adopt while being separated. Please note: It is a process and will require patience.
7) Can I adopt as a single man?
Adopting as a single man or single woman can be more challenging than adopting as a married couple; however, both single men and single woman are accepted. The challenge is due to the identified needs of some children (i.e. requiring a two parent family due to behavioral and/or emotional issues).
8) I am 47 and my husband is 58. Are we too old to adopt?
There is no age limit of an adopting person or couple; however, it is imperative the needs of the child are taken into account during the match process. Some children exhibit behavioral and/or emotional issues which require physical strength or activity and due to the health limitations of a person of advanced age may prevent an adoptive parent from being a good match for a child.
9) I have a medical condition. Will this prohibit me from obtaining an approved adoption home study?
Medical conditions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Most medical conditions are not prohibitive for adoptive families, as long as you are under a physician's care who will document your ability to care for a child. A current physician's health form is a required supporting document. This identifies any medical conditions you may have and requests your doctor document any medical problems that could affect your ability to be an adoptive parent. A physician's health form also requests from the doctor if, based on his or her knowledge, you have a normal life expectancy. FTCC may request additional medical and/or psychiatric information as necessary to complete the home study.
10) I take medication for a mental health diagnosis (e.g.: Anxiety, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress, etc.), will this prohibit me from obtaining an approved adoption home study?
Conditions in which an individual is prescribed psychotropic medications for mental health (in the past or present) diagnoses are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. You will be asked to provide documentation from your physician, psychologist, psychiatrist and/or counselor as to your ability to effectively parent. Family Tyes Counseling and Consulting, LLC may request additional medical and/or psychiatric information as necessary to complete the home study.
11) What happens if I have a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge or other criminal background?
If you have ever been arrested, the incident is likely on record. An arrest history will not automatically prohibit you from being approved to adopt. It will, however, slow the home study process until an assessment of the situation can be made. If a criminal history is identified, the person with the record will be notified. He or she is required to obtain a dissemination report from the arresting city or county; only that person can obtain this information. Due to confidentiality, Family Tyes Counseling and Consulting, LLC can only discuss the issue with the person who has the record.
In addition to the dissemination report, additional documentation may be required, depending on the contents of the arrest record. For example, if you have been convicted of a DUI, you may be required to provide proof of alcohol related counseling or education (often mandated by the court), probation reports/discharge, sponsor letters and Judicial Orders of Compliance. During the home study interview, you will be asked to discuss the circumstances surrounding that particular event in your life and the steps you have taken since to ensure that this does not happen again.
12) When you come to my home, what exactly are you looking for while taking a tour of my home? Do I need to do a deep cleaning of my home to be approved?
The adoption home study process can cause one anxiety. Understand that while you are not required to deep clean your home, it would be in your best interest to look at your home through the eyes of a child. What would you want them to see when walking into their “new home?” The goal of the adoption home study is to ensure the home is ready for a child. This includes identifying possible hazards within your home. A Home Safety Checklist is provided in the adoption home study packet for your reference.
13)Do I need to have any safety measures if I have a swimming pool or spa in my backyard?
First and foremost it is imperative all bodies of water, to include swimming pools and/or spas, are of working order and good condition. If a spa or pool is out of commission, all water must be drained and there must be safety measures to prevent a child from falling in to the empty pool or spa.
For any home with a swimming pool/spa there are certain requirements. These include:
Complete water safety course and provide certification. This can be completed at the Red Cross website.
Ensure there is rescue equipment on site (i.e.: shepherd hook, ring buoy or pool safety ring) at the time of the approved home study.
A Home Safety Checklist is provided in the adoption home study packet for your reference. This checklist includes safety measures regarding all bodies of water.
14) I understand I have to participate in a background screening. In addition, my children and other household members must participate in a background screening. What does a background check encompass?
A background check must be completed and the results must be reviewed prior to the approval of an Adoption Home Study. The background check for adults will review the following information:
Florida Abuse Hotline Information System (FAHIS)
Local Countywide and Citywide Arrest History
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Website (FDLE)
National Clearinghouse Information System (NCIC)
A background check for children between the ages of 12 and 17 will review the following information:
Florida Abuse Hotline Information System
Local Countywide and Citywide Arrest History
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Website
15) Do background checks expire?
The FAHIS and Local Countywide and Citywide Arrest History results expire after 30 days. The FDLE results expire after 90 days and the NCIC results expire after one year. The fingerprints must be valid at the time of the adoption home study approval.
You will be asked to complete background screenings periodically. The requests for updates will likely occur prior to the match meeting, prospective adoptive child’s placement in your home and/or prior to finalization of the adoption depending on the timeframe of these events. This may or may not require another trip to the office to be fingerprinted.
16) Does an adoption home study expire?
The adoption home study is valid for 12 months following approval. If an adoption home study is to be updated, all supporting documents will also require updating. The supporting documents include, but are not limited to: background clearances, physician health reports, relative and nonrelative references and tax return.
Navigation of the System:
1) Once my adoption home study is completed and approved how long will it take for us to be matched with a child or children?
This is the million dollar question! Each family is unique and each child free for adoption is equally as unique. A perfect match can happen quickly or take longer than desired. Many families experience frustration waiting. Family Tyes finds when families understand why they have not been chosen for a specific child, know the supports in their community to share their frustration, and have confidence someone has “their back,” they spend less time experiencing anxiety.
2) Are we too old to adopt?
There is no age limit of an adopting person or couple; however, it is imperative the needs of the child are taken into account during the match process. Some children exhibit behavioral and/or emotional issues which require physical strength or activity and due to the health limitations of a person of advanced age may prevent an adoptive parent from being a good match for a child.
3) Will being single negatively impact my chances of adopting?
Adopting as a single parent can be more challenging than adopting as a married couple; however, single parents are accepted. The challenge is due to the identified needs of some children (i.e. requiring a two parent family due to behavioral and/or emotional issues).
4) Should we consider adopting a child of a different race/culture?
Considering adopting a child of a different race is a personal decision. It is important you give careful thought to how the adoption of a child of a different race will fit into your immediate family, extended family and community. Consider how you plan to keep the child connected to their race/culture and explore your feelings regarding whether you can commit to this. Whether such an adoption is a good decision for you is a decision only you can make.
Services and Service Fees:
Preadoption education only $1500
Adoption home study $1850
Preadoption education and adoption home study $3000
Navigation of the system $500 a month