You have made the decision to become a foster parent! That is amazing and now your focus is moving on to how do I prepare my home for the home study. Some home studies will focus on different areas but there are several that no matter which state or area you live in will expect the following.

All cleaning supplies are locked away and out of reach. When I started looking for locks I found too many that altered the look of your area. Until I found magnetic cabinet and drawer locks. With the magnetic locks you can’t tell I have child-proof my cabinets and it doesn’t take away from the beauty of my kitchen. 

Lockboxes for medication. You will need to lock up all medicine, including medicine kept in the fridge. I recommend having your large lock box for non-refrigerated medicines and then a smaller one to use in the fridge.

Electrical outlet covers. All electrical outlets will need to be covered. I am a fan of the clear version because I feel like they don’t stick out as much, but any that prevent a little one from accessing the outlet works.

Working Fire Extinguisher on each level of the home. Before you purchase your fire extinguishers for your home make sure you know the rating that is required.

Carbon monoxide detector and smoke detectors. You will need a carbon monoxide detector on each floor of the home. You will need smoke detectors in each bedroom, hallway, and living room/kitchen space.