A social worker smiles at the kitchen table as a boy shows her his hamster, his mother beside him

Preparing for Court

Social Worker Home Visit Checklist

Social work is a profession that seeks to promote social change, solve problems in human relationships, and empower individuals and communities. One important

Best for the Children Editorial·10 min read·February 10, 2026·Updated October 4, 2026

A social worker or custody evaluator who comes to your home is checking two things: is this a safe place for your child, and how does your child do with you in it. You do not need a big house, new furniture or a spotless kitchen. You need working smoke alarms, a safe place for your child to sleep, medicines and weapons locked away, food in the fridge, and a calm parent who answers questions honestly. The checklist below covers what visitors typically look at, what to have ready, and what to avoid.

First, know who is coming and why

“Social worker home visit” covers three different situations, and the rules are not the same for each.

A court-ordered custody evaluation or home study. A judge appoints a mental health professional, social worker or family court services worker to look at both homes and make a recommendation. In California, for example, the courts’ self-help site says the evaluator may visit your home and watch you interact with your child, talk to people who know the child, and review school and health records. Parents usually pay a fee.
A guardian ad litem or child’s attorney. Some states appoint someone to represent the child’s interests. Many of them visit each parent’s home before they report to the judge.
A child protective services (CPS) investigation. This starts with a report of abuse or neglect, not a custody filing. CPS visits can come with little or no notice.

If you are not sure which one you are dealing with, ask the person for their name, their agency, and in court cases a copy of the order that appointed them. That is a normal question, and the answer tells you what rules apply. For more on the limits of each role, see what social workers can and can’t do in a custody case.

How a custody evaluation visit usually works

In custody cases, the visit is normally scheduled. The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), whose 2022 Guidelines for Parenting Plan Evaluations are widely used by evaluators, says observation visits should be scheduled with advance notice and that unannounced or hidden-camera observation is “inappropriately intrusive.” The same guidelines say evaluators should observe each parent with the children, and describe what they saw separately from their opinions.

States set their own requirements on top of that. Texas, for example, spells out the basic parts of a custody evaluation in Texas Family Code § 107.109, and a judge there can add an evaluation of each parent’s home as an extra element. Your state may handle it through a court services office, a private evaluator, or a guardian ad litem. Check your state’s court self-help pages or ask the evaluator what the process includes.

If CPS is at the door

A CPS caseworker will usually ask to come in, look around, and talk with you and your children. Texas Law Help, a legal aid site, describes letting the investigator see the home as voluntary at the investigation stage, and notes you can hire a lawyer for any interaction with CPS. In general, without a court order or an emergency, a caseworker needs your permission to enter. Saying no can lead the agency to ask a judge for an order, though, and the details vary a lot by state. If you have time, call a family lawyer or your local legal aid office before you decide. Stay polite either way.

Before the visit: paperwork to have ready

AFCC’s own advice to parents is short: be honest, keep every appointment, and have school and health records organized. A folder you can hand over beats hunting through drawers while someone watches. Put in it:

A copy of any current custody order, parenting plan or protective order.
Your child’s school information: report cards, attendance, any IEP or 504 plan, and teacher contact details.
The pediatrician’s and dentist’s names and phone numbers, the date of the last checkup, and a list of any medications and allergies.
Your child’s weekly schedule: school, activities, therapy, time with the other parent.
Childcare arrangements and who picks up when you work.
The names of every adult who lives in the home or stays over regularly. Evaluators often ask, and some states require checks on everyone living in the home. In Texas, the evaluation has to consider the criminal history and any prior CPS contact of each person living there.
A short list of people who know your child well (teacher, coach, doctor, relative) with phone numbers, in case the evaluator wants to call them.

Keep copies of anything you hand over. If you have concerns about sensitive records ending up in the court file, read how to keep private information out of the public record.

The home safety checklist

These are the items visitors notice first, because they are the things that hurt children. Walk through your home with this list a week ahead so you have time to fix anything.

Fire and air

Smoke alarms inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level including the basement. That is the National Fire Protection Association’s recommendation. Test them. NFPA says to test monthly and replace any alarm 10 years after its manufacture date (the date is printed on the back).
A carbon monoxide alarm outside sleeping areas and on each level if you have gas appliances, a fireplace or an attached garage.
No space heaters next to beds or curtains, no overloaded power strips.

Medicines, chemicals and weapons

Every medicine up high and out of sight, including vitamins and melatonin gummies, which look like candy. The CDC’s “Up and Away” campaign estimates about 60,000 young children go to the emergency room each year after getting into medicine.
Cleaning products, laundry pods, alcohol and vape cartridges locked or out of reach.
Any firearm stored unloaded and locked, with ammunition locked separately. That is the American Academy of Pediatrics’ advice on guns in the home. More than half the states have child-access-prevention laws, which can make it a crime to leave a gun where a child can get it. How strict they are varies a lot, so check your state’s law. Be ready to show the evaluator the safe or lock if asked.

Furniture, water and windows

Dressers, bookcases and TVs anchored to the wall. The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Anchor It campaign exists because tip-overs keep killing young children, and new dressers sold in the U.S. have had to meet a federal stability standard since 2023 under the STURDY Act. Older furniture still needs a strap.
Water heater set at 120°F or lower. The CPSC’s tap water scald guidance recommends 120°F; at 140°F, a serious burn takes seconds.
Window guards or stops on upper floors if you have toddlers, and cords from blinds tied up out of reach.
Pools, hot tubs and ponds fenced or locked.

Where your child sleeps

Every child has a bed, crib or bunk of their own with clean bedding. Evaluators generally look for a safe, appropriate place to sleep and a spot for the child’s things. A separate room for each child is usually not expected, but ask the evaluator if you are unsure.
For babies, follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2022 safe sleep guidance: a firm, flat crib or bassinet mattress with a fitted sheet and nothing else in it. No pillows, bumpers, blankets or stuffed animals. Visitors notice a cluttered crib right away.
Some of the child’s clothes, toothbrush and school supplies at your home. It shows the child lives there, not just visits.
Older kids and teens want some privacy and a place for their own things. See custody schedules for teenagers for what matters more at that age.

Everyday basics

Food in the fridge and cupboards that a child would actually eat.
Working heat, water and electricity, and a working toilet and shower.
Trash taken out, dishes not piled up for days, no pet mess on the floor, no smoke smell in the child’s room.
Clear walkways. Clutter is not a safety finding by itself, but blocked exits and piles a toddler can pull over are.

Normal mess is fine. Toys on the floor and a sink with breakfast dishes look like a house where a child lives. What raises concern is anything that could hurt a child or suggests no one is keeping up with basic care.

During the visit

Let your child be themselves. Don’t rehearse answers with them or tell them what to say. AFCC notes that evaluators will not ask children to choose a parent, and kids who sound coached hurt the parent who coached them. If your child is anxious, you can say something simple like “This person is here to meet us and see our house.” Our guide to talking with kids about two homes has more wording.
Show the whole home. Open the bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen without being asked twice. A closed door invites questions.
Talk about your child, not your ex. Describe routines: who does homework with them, what they eat for breakfast, what their bedtime is, how you handle a meltdown. Visitors are listening for how well you know your child.
Answer honestly, including the hard parts. If there was a past problem (a DUI, a period of depression, a messy breakup), say what happened and what has changed. They will likely find out anyway, and how you talk about it matters.
Keep other adults to a minimum. A new partner or relative who lives there may need to meet the visitor. Others can step out.
Take short notes afterward. Write down the date, how long the visit lasted, who was there, and what was asked. Don’t record the visit without asking first; recording laws vary by state, and secretly recording an evaluator looks bad even where it is legal.

After the visit

If the visitor pointed out a problem, fix it and keep proof: a receipt for the anchor straps, a photo of the new smoke alarm, a note from the landlord about the repair. In a custody case, send a short, factual note to your lawyer or the evaluator saying it was fixed.

Evaluations take time. A full evaluation, with interviews, observations at each home, and calls to teachers or doctors, often takes two months or longer. Shorter, focused assessments can be quicker. Judges then weigh the report alongside the rest of the evidence and your state’s best-interest factors. If you disagree with the report, your lawyer can explain how to challenge it in your state.

If your living situation changes later (a move, a new partner moving in, a new baby), that can be a reason one parent asks to change the schedule. See reasons to change a visitation schedule. If the visit was part of a request for more time with your child, this step-by-step guide to asking for more parenting time walks through what comes next. And if the court orders supervised visitation while the evaluation runs, follow it to the letter; it is temporary and your record during it counts.

The night-before checklist

Smoke and CO alarms tested.
Medicines, chemicals and any guns locked or out of reach.
Heavy furniture and TVs anchored.
Child’s bed made, crib empty except for the fitted sheet.
Food in the kitchen, trash out, bathroom clean.
Folder ready: court order, school and medical info, schedule, list of adults in the home, contacts.
Nothing rehearsed with your child.

The visitor is looking at an ordinary day in your home. If the home is safe and you know your child well, that is what they will see.

This site is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Custody evaluations, home studies and CPS procedures differ by state and even by county, so check your state’s court self-help pages or talk with a family lawyer about your case.