Prepare now / Confirm with your provider
This preparation guide helps you plan questions and organize existing records. It is not an application checklist. Confirm required forms, timing, and the secure submission method before ordering documents, booking checks, or sending confidential records.
| Prepare now | Confirm with your provider |
|---|---|
| Identification and existing records: locate identification and applicable marriage or divorce documents you already have. | Which documents, certified copies, forms, and dates are required? |
| References: think about people who know your family and could provide a reference. | How many references are needed, who may provide them, and how are they contacted? |
| Household information: list household members and questions about how each person participates. | Who must be interviewed, screened, or included in the paperwork? |
| Financial information: review your household budget and locate existing income and expense records. | Which records and stability requirements apply to this adoption path? |
| Health information: note questions about health forms or appointments the provider may request. | Are medical statements needed? Which forms, professionals, and time limits apply? |
| Background screening: be ready to discuss the provider's screening process. | Which checks are required, who needs them, and how should they be scheduled and paid for? |
| Training and home study: consider your availability for education, interviews, and home visits. | Which training is accepted, who conducts the home study, and what are the fees and next steps? |
For more help organizing records, use the home-study document preparation guide alongside your provider's checklist.
Use requirements for your adoption path
The DFPS requirements for foster/adopt families describe the foster-care adoption pathway. They include references, household background screening, a home study, and preparation training. The page also lists additional requirements specifically for foster parents.
Use that source in its stated context rather than treating every item as a universal requirement for every Texas adoption. Texas Family Resources' adoption guidance also explains that requirements can differ by agency and adoption type.
Age and household status
Ask the agency to explain the age and household requirements for your adoption path, including how they apply to single applicants or couples. Confirm what documentation is needed for your situation before preparing an application.
Background checks
Background screening is a normal part of adoption. The exact checks, forms, and people included depend on the adoption path and current requirements.
Finances
Families do not need to be wealthy, but the home-study process generally considers whether the household is financially stable and able to meet a child's needs.
The home study
The home study looks at more than the physical home. It can include interviews, family relationships, safety, support systems, finances, background information, parenting expectations, and readiness to adopt.
Read the adoption home-study guide
Get the agency-specific checklist
Ask Matching Hearts about its current programs and requirements. In your first message, share your city and state, whether you are researching or ready to apply, and your main questions. Ask which checklist applies, how to confirm fees, and what to do next.
General information only. This page is educational and is not legal advice. Requirements can change and may differ by adoption type. Matching Hearts can confirm the current requirements that apply to its process.