Helping families raise children between two homes

Stepparent and Relative Adoptions

A stepparent adoption can be an exciting for the family, securing family ties and benefits to children. If you have an order to participate in a stepparent adoption evaluation by Bradley S. Craig, LMSW-IPR, CFLE concerning your background and child care plans, this web site contains the information and forms you will need.


PLEASE NOTE: I AM REQUIRED TO DISCUSS CHILDREN'S FEELING ABOUT ADOPTION FOR ALL ADOPTIONS, INCLUDING STEPPARENT ADOPTIONS.

Please review the list of forms below which must be completed prior to the interview, and the list of materials you will be required to submit at the interview. Gathering this information may take several weeks, so PLEASE START NOW.

FEES

The total non refundable fee is due at the time of intake. Work will begin after the payment has been made. No partial payment will be accepted.

Please mail your check directly to Mr. Craig at PO Box 1353 Mineola, TX 75773.

FORMS

Print out the checklist of items required for an adoption study. Please submit each form separately to brad@childreninthemiddle.com in .pdf format. Please do not send paper copies of information as we maintain digital files. If you mail your documents, you will be charged the rate of $200.00 per hour for time spent scanning documents in to digital format so you are encouraged to fax or scan your material.

Prior to scheduling the initial interviews, you must have completed and submitted the following:

INTAKE FORM
Please fully complete this form.

ADVISEMENT FORM
An advisement form needs to be completed by the biological parent and a separate one for the adoptive parent. Please initial each page and sign the last page.

PERSONAL DATA FORM
 Complete, sign, and return one form for every adult in the home. Other adults in the home do not need to complete pages 16 through 20.

PARENTING QUESTIONNAIRE
To be completed by the adopting adult.

CONSENT FORMS
Complete, sign, and return one form for each professional or entity for every adult and child in the home.

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE RECORDS
Complete the DPRS records request for each adult in the home and email to the address provided on the form.

CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK
In accordance with Texas Government Code, Section 411.128, a person seeking to adopt a child under Chapter 162, Family Code, who is ordered by the court to obtain the person’s own criminal history record information (CHRI) from the Department of Public Safety under Section 162.0085 Family Code, shall request the information as provided by that section. Information about obtaining your criminal record history is available by clicking here. Please make note of the date you mail off the card.

COLLATERAL QUESTIONNAIRE

  1. Print out or e-mail a copy of the form for each person you wish to have complete a questionnaire on your behalf. (A minimum of three is required, not including any adult children you have)
  2. Please do not have your adult children complete a form, they instead should complete the form below entitled ADULT CHILD COLLATERAL QUESTIONNAIRE.
  3. Completed collateral questionnaires should be mailed directly to Mr. Craig at PO Box 1353 Mineola, TX 75773 or e-mailed to brad@childreninthemiddle.com.
  4. You may wish to provide an addressed, stamped envelope with MY address for each individual completing the questionnaire.

ADULT CHILD COLLATERAL QUESTIONNAIRE

  1. Print out a copy of the form for each of your adult children who do or do not live in your home.
  2. Completed questionnaires should be mailed directly to Mr. Craig at PO Box 1353 Mineola, TX 75773 or e-mailed to brad@childreninthemiddle.com.
  3. You may wish to provide an addressed, stamped envelope with MY address for each individual completing the questionnaire.

CHILD CARE QUESTIONNAIRE

  1. Print out a copy of the form for each child care provider your children have used in the last five years.
  2. Completed questionnaires should be mailed directly to Mr. Craig at PO Box 1353 Mineola, TX 75773 or e-mailed to brad@childreninthemiddle.com.
  3. You may wish to provide an addressed, stamped envelope with Mr. Craig's address for each provider completing the questionnaire.

CURRENT SCHOOL QUESTIONNAIRE

  1. Print out a copy of the form for the current and most recent past school your child has attended.
  2. Completed questionnaires should be mailed directly to Mr. Craig at PO Box 1353 Mineola, TX 75773 or e-mailed to brad@childreninthemiddle.com.
  3. You may wish to provide an addressed, stamped envelope with Mr. Craig's address for the school completing the questionnaire.

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE DOCUMENTS
Provide a copy of each marriage certificate and each decree or modification of divorce. You may need to send for copies from the counties where you were married or divorced.

HEALTH STATEMENT
Provide a current Statement of Health by a physician for the adopting parent(s) and subject child(ren). Each statement should be on the doctor's letterhead and close with the doctor's signature. For the adopting adults, the statement should include:

  1. The patient's name & date of exam
  2. Answer does the patient have any contagious diseases, serious diseases or disabling conditions, mental illness or chemical dependency- and if "yes," then explain. The letter should include the following statement: "It is my professional medical opinion that the patient is in good health and has no medical condition that would affect the patient's ability to function as an adoptive parent."

COUNSELING STATEMENT

  1. Provide a current Statement of Emotional Status by each psychiatrist or therapist that you or the children have seen in the past 5 years.
  2. If the therapist does not wish to release the information to you directly, provide the therapist with a copy of the CONSENT FORM (with their name in the top blank), and ask them to mail the statement directly to Mr. Craig at PO Box 1353 Mineola, TX 75773.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
See your attorney or CPA for details if needed. The fully completed information on your Personal Data Sheets will suffice.

SCHOOL RECORDS
Provide a copy of School Records for each child in your home and any biological children you have. Include records for the past five years.

FLOOR PLAN
A basic sketch of the floor plan of the home showing dimensions and purposes of all rooms in the home, along with photographs of the outside areas of the grounds used by the child. It does not need to be architectural plans, or extreme detail, but please make it something legible that the court could easily review. This is required.

Please review the following checklist to prepare for my home visit.

COPIES OF ALL COURT DOCUMENTS
Please provide copies of all court documents related to the adoption. In addition, please provide any current orders the subject children or any biological children of the parent or stepparent are subjects of. You may wish to consult with your lawyer.

VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT
Provide verification of your current employment. Please have this document completed on company letter head and please have the following included: