Reference checks

olp920 · July 2014

Can someone tell me about the reference checks to become licensed? I want to start thinking about who the right people will be. How many do they need? Do the references write a letter? Participate in a phone interview? Face to face meeting?

olp920 · July 2014

I'm in New Jersey if that matters

justjinny · July 2014

It probably varies by state and agency. And also if you are doing international vs. domestic adoption.

The state I live in and the agency I went through required 5 references. Each person had to write a letter and there was a list of 5 or so topics they needed to touch on. Our references also had to be people we weren't related to. I never heard anyone say that the agency called them or followed up at all after they sent in the letters.

mysticl · July 2014

I used to do foster care home studies. We required three references. I would contact them by phone and ask them a list of questions and then give them the opportunity to add anything. We also had a subsidiary that did parental placement adoptions and in their case the references wrote a letter to the agency. We didn't accept references from family members. I made once exception when a potential parent submitted their ex-spouse as a reference. I figured if the ex was will to praise you it was an honest reference.

I highly suggest selecting references who have seen you interact with children and have seen you handle adversity.

Dr.Loretta · July 2014

I would ask them directly because, as others have mentioned, it can be state- and agency-specific. We did DIA and had to have 5 non-family references. We were given guidelines for them to write about, but no specific Q&A format. A friend adopted through foster care, and had to have 5 references, including a boss and a neighbor. It really can vary.

[Deleted User] · July 2014

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Lacyj67 · July 2014

I'm in ca and they asked for four and sent a front and back letter for the refrence to fill out and mail back. It's pretty detailed and pick people you really trust. It asks questions about your relationship... If they thought we would be good parents and if they had kids would they trust leaving there kids with is if they were not alive!! Crazy huh!!

Chele · July 2014

I'm in New Jersey as well doing foster care/fost-to-adopt and we needed two references. If I remember correctly, they had a questionnaire that they completed. It was definitely written and not verbal.

Reference checks

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