Background Clearance

The Washington State Patrol and Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Licensed Resources conduct the background clearance. They look into criminal record and any history of abuse of children. If you have ever been a foster parent or a licensed day care provider your licenser will have to be contacted to review those records. The process usually takes about 8 weeks from the time the forms are sent to DSHS. Other parts of the homestudy can proceed while waiting for the results but the report cannot be released until the clearance is returned.

A history of child abuse or neglect will be immediately disqualifying as will any crime of violence against a child.

A criminal history is not of itself disqualifying. It is very important to make a full disclosure in your homestudy because it must be discussed as part of the report. Important issues to discuss include the circumstances under which the arrest happened; any conviction; any sentence by the court; the completion of the sentence; how you have grown or changed as a result of the events. You may have to obtain official records from the court.

Remember that if you are going to adopt internationally INS will fingerprint you and the fingerprints will go directly to the FBI. Any arrest will show on that report and has to be discussed in the homestudy. INS will not issue the I 171H permission to adopt a foreign child until all arrests are discussed in detail. Normally this discussion takes place in an addendum provided the homestudy is favorable.

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