Adoption Home Study Checklist: The Child-Safety Basics, Room by Room

The adoption home study checklist starts with one question: ask your social worker or agency which home safety items their home study covers. Then put the national basics in place, from the CPSC’s childproofing guidance, the AAP’s safe sleep advice and the NFPA’s home fire escape planning advice. Set up for the youngest child you might welcome, so the home is ready for that age on the day a child comes home.

Treat it as a starting point, not as your agency’s list. A home study checklist for adoption works best when you walk the house in the order a child would use it, one room at a time. If you are also considering fostering, a foster care home inspection is a separate situation.

The CPSC says the risk of injury from hazards in and around the home can be reduced by using recommended safety practices, child products that meet safety standards and child-safety devices. To be effective, it says, devices must be properly installed and reengaged after use. Keeping them working is an everyday habit, not a one-day setup. The CPSC also says no device is fully childproof, and determined toddlers have been known to overcome or disable them.

Start With the Infant Sleep Space

For an infant adoption, the sleep space comes first. The AAP says to place a baby on their back for all naps and at night, on a firm, flat sleep surface. That means a crib, bassinet, portable crib or play yard that meets the safety standards of the CPSC.

The mattress should be designed for that crib and fit tightly. Use a fitted sheet only, with nothing else in the crib. The AAP also says to check the CPSC website to make sure a crib hasn’t been recalled, especially if it’s not new.

The AAP recommends sharing a room with your baby, but never a bed, for at least the first 6 months. Keep soft objects and loose bedding out of the sleep area:

• Pillows and pillow-like toys
• Quilts, comforters and mattress toppers
• Non-fitted sheets and blankets
• Toys and bumper pads

A safe sleep space can be a financial stretch. The AAP says organizations throughout the United States provide low-cost or free safe sleep surfaces, and it suggests checking with your local social services agency.

Medicines, Cabinets and Locked Storage

Picture this: you set a medicine bottle on the kitchen counter, the phone rings, and you step into the next room. The bottle is still there when you come back, and so is a curious crawler. Moments like that are why storage has to become a habit.

The CDC says to keep medicines in a place young children cannot reach or see. Always check that the cap on a medicine bottle is locked. After locking the safety cap, always put medicines back in their safe storage location. The CPSC adds that even products with child-resistant packaging should be locked away and kept out of reach, because this type of packaging is often not childproof. Poison prevention at home starts with that one rule: everything harmful goes up, out of sight and locked.

The CPSC recommends safety latches and locks for cabinets and drawers in kitchens, bathrooms and other areas. They can help keep children from gaining access to medicines, laundry detergent, household cleaners, matches or cigarette lighters, and knives and other sharp objects. Look for latches that adults can easily install and use, but that are sturdy enough to withstand pulls and tugs from children.

Baby Proof Me’s “Complete Care” Safety Kit holds 12 magnetic cabinet locks with 3 keys, 6 adhesive safety strap locks, 24 outlet plugs and 12 clear corner protectors. Its product page says the magnetic locks help keep your child away from cabinets and drawers containing chemicals, knives or medications. The magnetic lock and strap lock pages say to allow 24 hours for the adhesive to fully bond, so fit them a day before you rely on them. The kit’s own warning says it is not a substitute for adult supervision.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

The NFPA says to install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Smoke detector placement follows that one pattern, whether the home has one floor or three.

The CPSC says to check smoke alarms once a month to make sure they’re working. Change batteries at least once a year, or consider sealed, 10-year batteries.

Carbon monoxide alarms have their own rule. The CPSC says all consumers should install them outside of bedrooms near each sleeping area of the home, even if the home does not have any fuel-burning appliances. Test them regularly and change their batteries at least once a year.

The NFPA Home Fire Escape Plan

A fire escape plan is a household project. The NFPA says to pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes.

Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of the home. Mark two ways out of each room, including windows and doors, and mark the location of each smoke alarm. The NFPA also says to choose an outside meeting place a safe distance in front of the home.

Then practice. The NFPA says to practice the plan twice a year. A drill turns a drawing on paper into something everyone can follow.

If there are infants in the home, the NFPA says to make sure someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and in an emergency. Name a backup person too. The NFPA also says to have everyone memorize the emergency phone number of the fire department. Once you’re out, stay out.

Windows, Cords and Clear Exits

The NFPA says to check that escape routes are clear and that doors and windows can be opened easily.

Windows need two kinds of attention. The CPSC says window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows. Use window guards and safety netting, and limit window openings to four inches or less, including the space between window guard bars.

If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. That keeps the CPSC’s fall advice and the NFPA’s two-ways-out advice working together.

Cords are the other hazard. The CPSC says to use cordless window coverings in homes with young children, because children can wrap window covering cords around their neck.

Furniture, Stairs, Doors, Outlets and Sharp Edges

The CPSC says furniture, TVs and ranges can tip over and crush young children. Anchor them to the floor or attach them to a wall. Install freestanding ranges and stoves with anti-tip brackets.

For stairs, the CPSC says to use safety gates that meet current child safety standards. Use only gates that screw to the wall at the top of stairs, and never use a pet gate as a child safety gate. Door knob covers and door locks can help keep children away from places with hazards. The CPSC says to be sure a door knob cover is sturdy and allows a door to be opened quickly by an adult in an emergency.

Outlets come next. The CPSC says outlet covers and outlet plates can help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution. Use protectors that cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough that children cannot choke on them. If you are replacing receptacles, use a tamper-resistant type.

For sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces, the CPSC says to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges. Baby-proofing essentials for every room come down to these same few categories: latches, anchors, gates, outlet protection and edge bumpers.

Bath, Hot Water and Pools

Bath time needs constant supervision. The CPSC says to stay within reach when a baby is bathing, because children can drown in moments. A phone call or a knock at the door is not a reason to step away.

The CPSC also says the water heater can be set to 120°F (49°C) or lower to prevent burns. That is a one-time adjustment with a lasting effect.

For a pool or spa, the CPSC recommends layers of protection:

• Self-closing, self-locking door mechanisms or door alarms on doors to the pool
• Pool alarms
• Self-closing and self-latching pool gates and fences
• Pool covers

The CPSC says to reestablish the barrier after each pool use. A gate left propped open removes a layer.

Keep the Emergency Lines on Hand

America’s Poison Centers advises having the Poison Help contact information on hand in case of an accidental exposure. Its Poison Help line, 1-800-222-1222, gives expert advice 24/7/365 at no cost. The CPSC likewise says that if you suspect your child ingested a poisonous substance, contact the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Save the number in every adult’s phone. Keep it somewhere visible too, like the fridge or a cabinet door.

For a fire, have the fire department’s emergency number memorized, as the NFPA advises. In any emergency, call 911.

Adoption Home Study Checklist From CPSC, AAP and NFPA Guidance

Use the checklist below as a starting point for the youngest child you might welcome.

You can also keep a room-by-room baby-proofing checklist for the rest of the house. Whatever list you use, recheck it often. Latches get left open, batteries run down and children grow into new reach.