CHILD CHARACTERISTICS CHECKLIST for FOSTER CARE AND/OR ADOPTION (Required for Use with the JFS 01673)
Ohio Department Of Job and Family Services CHILD CHARACTERISTICS CHECKLIST FOR FOSTER CARE AND/OR ADOPTION (Required for use with the JFS 01673)
Note: A person seeking to provide foster care or to adopt a minor who knowingly makes a false statement that is included in the written report of a home study conducted pursuant to Section 3107.02 or Section 5103.03 of the Revised Coed is guilty of the offense of falsification under Section 2921.13 of the Revised Code. A homestudy with a knowingly false statement shall not be filed with the court and if filed may be struck from the court's records.
Name of Applicant # 1 Name of Applicant # 2 Date completed or updated
Address of Applicant(s) Applicant’s Phone
Name of Representing Agency and/or Agent Phone
Address of Representative and/or Agent Fax
Instructions: Please print. Use the list below to let us know the type of child(ren) you would like to foster and/or adopt. Place an X in the appropriate box. If characteristics would be different for foster care than adoption, place an “A” for adoption and an “F” for foster care.
Will Will not Will Will not consider consider consider consider Gender/Sex of Child Race/Ethnicity/Language of Child Female American Indian or Alaskan Native Male Black or African American Age of Child White Newborn/under 1 Asian 1 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 2 Biracial (2 of the races above must be selected) 3 Multiracial (3 or more of the races above must be selected) Unable to determine (applies to deserted child or safe haven 4 baby only) 5 Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity 6 Non-English Speaking/specify language: 7 Placement History 8 Child’s first placement: no known behavior problems 9 Child’s first placement: agency has no information on child 10 Child now in residential treatment 11 Child has had previous foster placement(s) 12 Child has had previous adoptive placement(s) 13 Birth History 14 Low birth weight or premature 15 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 16 Fetal Alcohol Effects 17 Positive toxicology screen at birth (one or more of the following: Over age 17 Cocaine, Amphetamines, Heroin, Morphine, Phencyclidine Number of Children/Siblings (PCP), Alcohol, Benzodiazepines, Hydromorphone, Marijuana, 1 Propoxyphene, Methadone, Codeine) 2 Prenatal Drug Exposure (one or more of the following: Cocaine, 3 Amphetamines, Heroin, Morphine, Phencyclidine (PCP),
4 Alcohol, Benzodiazepines, Hydromorphone, Marijuana, 5 or more Propoxyphene, Methadone, Codeine) Teen Parent with Child Drug Addiction at Birth (heroin, methadone, morphine, or other)
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Will Will not Will Will not consider consider consider consider Developmental Other Medical Conditions (continued) Mental Retardation: Mild Heart Disorder: Major (may need surgery) Mental Retardation: Moderate Hemophilia Mental Retardation: Severe/Profound Hepatitis (may require treatment) Failure to Thrive (organic or environmental) Family history of Huntington’s Disease Speech Problems: Mild/may require therapy Hydrocephaly Speech Problems: Moderate/requires Lead Poisoning (may require treatment)
therapy Lice (may require treatment) Speech Problems: Severe/requires therapy Chronic liver disease (may require Hearing Impairment/Not Deaf: Mild Macrocephalic Hearing Impairment/Not Deaf: Microcephalic
Moderate/Requires treatment Missing limb(s) (may require prosthesis) Hearing Impairment/Not Deaf: Muscular Dystrophy Severe/Requires treatment Neurofibromatosis Deaf Currently pregnant Visually Impaired/Not Blind: Mild/requires Previous Pregnancy(ies) treatment Seizures Visually Impaired/Not Blind: Seizure Disorder (other than Epilepsy) Moderate/requires treatment Epilepsy Visually Impaired/Not Blind: Severe/requires History of sexually transmitted disease treatment (syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes simplex II, Blind chlamydia, other) Orthopedic Impairment: Requires special Currently has sexually transmitted disease shoes (syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes simplex II, Orthopedic Impairment: Requires leg brace chlamydia, other) Orthopedic Impairment: Requires other Sickle Cell Disease treatment Sickle Cell Trait Dental Spina Bifida Dental Problems (may include tooth decay, Tuberous Sclerosis missing teeth, crowded or misaligned teeth, Tuberculosis overbite, under bite) Previous Medical Hospitalizations Orthodontia required Previous Surgeries Allergies and Respiratory Problems Medication Allergies: Food Requires daily medication for one or more
Allergies: Drugs conditions Allergies: Environmental Requires Specialized Care Asthma: No treatment required Non-Ambulatory Asthma: Treatment required Physically Disabled Other Medical Conditions Physical Therapy: Short-term Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Physical Therapy: Long-term Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Occupational Therapy: Short-term Juvenile Arthritis Occupational Therapy: Long-term AIDS Requires Intermittent Medical Treatment &
HIV Evaluation Cancer: In remission Requires Specialized In-Home Care Cancer: Requires treatment Tracheotomy Cerebral Palsy: Mild Naso-gastric tube Cerebral Palsy: Moderate Gastric tube Cerebral Palsy: Severe Apnea monitor Cleft lip/palate (may require surgery) Nebulizer Cleft lip/palate (already corrected) Requires Lifelong Medical Treatment Cystic Fibrosis: Mild Requires Lifelong Supervision Cystic Fibrosis: Moderate Limited Life Expectancy Cystic Fibrosis: Severe Terminally Ill (life expectancy less than 1 yr.) Diabetes: Insulin-dependent Limited life expectancy due to chronic illness
Diabetes: Non-insulin dependent or disabling condition Down’s Syndrome Heart Disorder: Minor (may need surgery)
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Will Will not consider consider Education / School Age Child (cont'd.) Will Will not Truancy consider consider Suspension(s) Sleeping Problems Expulsion(s) Sleep Apnea Academically Behind Due to Poor Attendance Nightmares Child is involved in after school activities
Afraid of sleeping in the dark (sports, dance, clubs, etc.) Afraid of the dark Child is in alternative school for emotional, Sleep walking developmental, psychological, or behavior Bedwetting (Enuresis – over 5 years of age, problems at night) Special Education Soils bed at night (Encopresis) Child is in or requires special education classes for: Dietary or Eating Problems Cognitive disability (Developmental
Requires special diet Handicap/DH) Bulimia (may require treatment) Emotional Disturbance (Severe Emotional
Anorexia (may require treatment) Disability, SBH) Pica Specific Learning Disability (Dyslexia, etc.) Hoarding food Hearing Impairment/deafness Overeating Speech or Language Impairment MENTAL / EMOTIONAL HEALTH Visual Impairment/blindness Requires or is currently in counseling/therapy Orthopedic Impairment Refuses counseling/therapy or medication Autism Previous psychiatric hospitalization Traumatic Brain Injury Has Mental Health Diagnosis Deaf-blind Adjustment disorder Other Health Impairment Multiple Disabilities (2 or more of above Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome Bi-polar disorder disabilities) Conduct disorder Temperament and Personality Depression Shy Intermittent explosive disorder Energetic Oppositional Defiant Disorder Sweet Schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder Withdrawn, tunes out Reactive Attachment Disorder Quiet Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Responsible Requires medication for psychiatric disorder / Bold
mental health problem Respectful/courteous Education / Preschool Child Timid Requires Early Intervention Services for Anxious
developmental delay Honest Attends Head Start Positive Attitude Attends Therapeutic Head Start Resourceful Education / School Age Child Outgoing and Social High Achiever Pleasant Achieves at grade level in regular classes Calm/laid back Achieves at below grade level in regular Eager to Please
classes Reserved Child struggles with school Active Child has repeated grade Overactive Cognitive Functioning: Above Average Boisterous Cognitive Functioning: Average Bossy Cognitive Functioning: Below Average Attention Seeking Has Behavior Problems in School: Compulsive
Occasionally Has Behavior Problems in School: Frequently Academic Problems: Occasionally Academic Problems: Frequently Needs Tutoring in One or More Subjects Child May Require Educational Testing
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Will Will not Will Will not
consider consider consider consider Behaviors and Characteristics Other Behaviors (continued) Head banging Uses foul language Rocking Child involved in group or activity that physically sets itself apart from the Tendency to reject father figures Tendency to reject mother figures mainstream and focuses on negative or Follows adult directions deviant themes Child obsessed with guns, knives, explosives, Tends to form superficial relationships Difficulty in attaching or other destructive devices or themes Not affectionate Currently plays with matches/lighters Fearful Fire setting Overly dependent Sexual Behavior Manipulative Sexually active Stubborn Seductive Defiant History of inappropriate sexual behavior Difficulty making friends and relating with Child involved in prostitution
other children Known sexual perpetrator Wets during the day Sexual offender (juvenile adjudication) Soils him/herself during the day Sexual perpetrator who has successfully
Temper Tantrums: Mild completed treatment Temper Tantrums: Moderate Child at risk for offending sexual behaviors Temper Tantrums: Severe Child has initiated sexual behavior toward Poor social skills other children or adults Child can be disruptive in social settings Sexually acting out behavior (may include Difficulty accepting and obeying rules frequent masturbation, exposing or frequent Masturbation: Occasionally touching of genitals, etc.) Masturbation: Frequently Child has an alternative sexual orientation Masturbation: Past (may include homosexual, bisexual or Masturbation: Private transgender lifestyles) Masturbation: Public Juvenile Court Involvement Biting Unruly adjudication Lying Theft: Past conviction or current charges Breaking curfew: Past conviction or current Stealing Frequently starts physical fights with other charges Domestic violence: Past conviction or children Physically aggressive toward other children current charges Cruelty to animals: Past conviction or current Physically aggressive toward adults Gang Involvement (past) charges Crime using a weapon: Past conviction or Gang Involvement (present) Self-abusive, self-harming current charges Suicidal thoughts or attempts Other delinquency adjudication(s) Poor anger management Previously Incarcerated Currently incarcerated Substance Use and Abuse Registered sex offender Smokes cigarettes Court order for restitution Chews tobacco Court order for child support Alcohol use Child is on probation Alcohol abuse Child is on parole Marijuana Child has participated in Court diversion Other substance abuse program(s) Requires or has completed treatment program Child has had serious on-going involvement for substance abuse with Juvenile Court for delinquent or Other Behaviors assaulting behaviors in the past 2 years Runaway: Occasionally Current or Previous Charge or Conviction(s)
Runaway: Frequently Aggravated murder
Runaway: Past Murder
Breaks curfew Involuntary manslaughter
Tendency to abuse animals Felonious assault Destructive of: Clothing, toys Aggravated assault
Destructive of: Household property Assault Destructive of: School or other public
property
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Will Will not Will Will not consider consider consider consider Current or Previous Charge or Conviction(s) History of one or both parents Rape One or both parents have alcohol addiction Sexual battery One or both parents have drug addiction Gross sexual imposition Mother used alcohol during pregnancy Conspiracy to commit aggravated murder or Mother used drugs during pregnancy
murder Agency has no information about the birth
Use or possession of a firearm or body armor father in an offense that would be considered a Agency has no information about either
felony if committed by an adult. parent (i.e. ‘safe haven’ baby) Family History One or both parents have criminal record Child has strong ties to birth family One or both parents have diagnosed mental illness Child needs continued contact with parents Depression Child needs continued contact with siblings Bi-polar disorder Child needs continued contact with other Schizophrenia
relatives Borderline personality disorder Child has strong ties to foster family and Other personality disorder
needs continued contact Intermittent explosive disorder Child has strong ties to a non-related FOSTER/ADOPTIVE PARENT INVOLVEMENT W/BIRTH significant other and needs continued contact FAMILY Sexually abused: Indirect Foster/Adoptive Parent is willing to: Sexually abused: Direct Meet birth parents Physically abused Have contact with birth parents through
Psychologically or emotionally abused agency or intermediary Child victim of physical neglect Send letters to birth parent Child victim of emotional neglect Receive letters from birth parents Child exposed to domestic violence Send videos to birth parents Child conceived as a result of rape Receive videos from birth parents Child conceived as a result of prostitution Have phone contact between adults Child conceived as a result of incest Have child continue visits with siblings Incest family history Have child continue visits with extended
Criminal record relatives in birth family History of one or both parents Receive birth parents’ name, address, phone
Child exposed to mental illness by other than number, etc.
family member Give birth parents the foster caregiver's or
One or both parents have mental retardation adoptive parent's first name Family history of domestic violence Give birth parents foster/adoptive family
Child exposed to domestic violence by other identifying information
than family member
Adoptive/Foster Parent Statement of Understanding
I/we understand that I/we will not be considered for matching with any child with a characteristic outside the criteria noted on this checklist. I/we understand that the agency will place children based on characteristics known to the agency at the time of placement. I/we also understand that I/we may revise this checklist at any time by contacting my/our adoption or foster home worker.
Adoptive/Foster Parent’s Signature Date
Adoptive/Foster Parent’s Signature Date
Assessor’s Signature Date
Supervisor’s Signature Date
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