Arizona Legal Matters is happy to announce that Reanna now offers Social Studies for prospective adoptive parents and for individuals seeking to terminate the parent/child relationship in severance cases. A social study must be completed and submitted to the court 10 days prior to your hearing for a Petition for Termination or a Petition for Adoption. A social study is conducted to ensure that you and your family is ready to add another family member and that the adoption is in the best interest of the child and whether or not the termination of the parent/child relationship in severance cases in appropriate.
Why choose Reanna to complete your social study?
Reanna has an extensive educational background: she holds a Master’s of Science in Forensic Psychology and a Master’s of Arts in Sociology. Reanna has personal and professional experience with the foster care system in Arizona as she was a ward of the state until she was 18 and she worked as a case aide for the Department of Child’s Safety. Reanna also has clinical experience, as she worked for several years at an Intensive Outpatient Program and completed clinical ASAM intake assessments and has direct knowledge of the DSM-5.
Decades ago when Reanna was 9 years old, she was adopted through the AASK adoption agency in Arizona (Aid to the Adoption of Special Kids). Unfortunately, Reanna’s adoption failed and she was placed back into the foster care system until she was 18. Based on that personal experience, Reanna understands how important it is that a child is placed with a family that understands their unique needs and is able to properly care for them. Had a suitable social study been completed when Reanna was first placed for adoption, her situation may never have happened. This is why Reanna has chosen to start conducting these social studies for children and prospective families in Arizona in the first place; she knows how important they really are.
What must the Social Study include?
- The social history, heritage, mental, and physical condition of the child and the child’s birth parents.
- The child’s current placement in the prospective adoptive parent’s home and the child’s adjustment to that home.
- The prospective adoptive parent’s suitability to adopt.
- The existing and proposed arrangements regarding the child’s custody.
- Any financial arrangement concerning the proposed adoption made by the birth parents, the division, an agency, an attorney or the prospective adoptive parents.
- State and federal criminal records check of the prospective adoptive parent and each adult who is living permanently with the prospective adoptive parent except a birth or legal parent with custody of the child. A valid fingerprint clearance card that is issued pursuant to section 41-1758.07 satisfies this requirement. The court may order an additional state and federal criminal records check for good cause.
- A central registry records check, including any history of child welfare referrals, with the division of the prospective adoptive parent and each adult who is living permanently with the prospective adoptive parent.
- Any other information that is pertinent to the adoption proceedings.
If the child being considered for adoption has resided with the prospective adoptive parent for at least six months and the prospective adoptive parent either has adopted a child or was appointed the permanent guardian of the child within three years preceding the current application, or is a foster parent who is licensed by this state, the social study conducted may consist only of the following:
- The results of the central registry records check conducted
- A review of any material changes in circumstances that have occurred since the previous adoption, permanent guardianship or license renewal that affect the prospective adoptive parent’s ability to adopt the child or for the child to be placed in the prospective adoptive parent’s home.
The department shall complete any required social study within six months after receiving a completed application to adopt a child if all of the following apply to the child:
- The child is free for adoption and is at least sixteen years of age.
- The department has placed the child with a prospective adoptive parent.
- The child consents to the adoption.
If you or a family member has petitioned to adopt a child(ren), please reach out to ALM to discuss setting up the required Social Study before your hearing today!
