One of the most stressful
situations that a potential guardian must endure is when their home
is investigated. The court will have the home of potential
legal guardians inspected in order to ensure that the home is a safe
environment for the child to occupy.
The investigations assess
guardians’ ability to provide the child with food, shelter, clothing, and other
basic necessities. It will allow the court to gain insight into the home of the
potential guardian, and the investigators will note any characteristics of the
environment that would not be suitable for a child. The investigator will be
keeping an eye out for any aspect of the environment that may be detrimental to
the child or the child’s health. They will be on the lookout for any form of
hazardous or illegal substances that are being kept in the house.
The home investigation will
also evaluate the relationship between potential guardians and their current
family. The investigators will observe whether or not potential guardians are
close with their family and whether or not the family appears to be loving and
supportive. They will seek to uncover whether or not this guardian would be
able to provide a stable environment for the child.
The investigator will be a trained professional who has experience
dealing with people and understanding what type of environment is suitable for
a child. Once the investigation is complete, a report will be created and given
to the judge. The judge will take this report into consideration when
determining whether the proposed guardian would be an adequate guardian for the
child.
The judge will be required to
decide whether residing with the potential guardian and being raised by him/her
would be in the child’s best interest. The home investigation can greatly sway the decision of the
judge and an unsatisfactory home investigation may ruin potential guardian’s
chance at receiving custody of a child.
If you have filed for legal guardianship of a
minor and must undergo a home investigation, there are some things that you
should keep in mind. First, never lie to an investigator; always be honest. If
they uncover that you have lied, it will be extremely destructive to your case.
Remain calm. Although this may be a very stressful process, the investigator is
just trying to become acquainted with you, your family and your home in order
to determine if this would be an appropriate environment for a child to live in.
It is the home investigator’s responsibility to help ensure that the child is
being placed in a safe environment.
