What is an Adoption Home Study?

What is an adoption home study? At first glance, it may sound a little invasive or even scary for hopeful parents. But it need not be. The adoption home study process is in fact more a home visit plus paperwork than a white-gloved inspection of your house.

Those who have adopted a child can tell you that a home study interview includes relevant questions designed to help child welfare experts determine the suitability of your home for raising an adopted child. It is an integral and crucial step in the adoption process.

The “home study” is really a “people study.” A completed adoption home study report will be a combination of written and oral descriptions of your family and your lifestyle. It will also include an inspection of the home in which you will raise your child.

The process is conducted by a licensed social worker. They are trained to spot the potential for child abuse, among other things, in both adoption (domestic and international adoptions) and foster care situations. They will assemble information about you as a prospective parent for their report. In the meantime, they can educate and prepare you for the rigors and responsibilities of adoption.

Details Of An Adoption Home Study

During an adoption home study, a social worker will examine many areas of your life including financial, work, health history, parenting styles, and your preparedness to love a child that is not of your body, but who comes to you through adoption. They will request and review financial and medical records, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and a variety of background checks, including FBI criminal and child abuse. They will discuss things like your future plans and goals, as well as your adoption preferences.

Again, this may seem a bit intimidating. But just remember: All adoptive parents have had to go through this same study and made it. Hurrah! In fact, your home study provider will become one of your greatest assets during the adoption process. He or she can provide a wealth of help and information as you look for resources locally, both before and after your adoption.

An adoption home study is a required part of the adoption process. Home studies are comprehensive. They help adoption experts find appropriate adoptive homes for the children of birth mothers with whom they are working.

How To Prepare For An Adoption Home Study

The next questions you may be asking are: How do we prepare for an adoption home study? And what does an adoption home study look like? By reviewing a family’s home study, a social worker, attorney, or adoption facilitator will be able to learn more about you and the type of home and family a child will be raised in. The completed adoption home study report will include information about a series of visits he or she makes to your home. These visits mainly serve to ensure that your home meets state licensing standards for safety. The number and frequency of visits will largely depend on the agency or laws of your particular state.

During the visits, the social worker will conduct interviews with the prospective adoptive parents and anyone else who lives in the home. Remember, they are not “white glove tests” but rather a chance to get to know about you, your home and your family.

You may hear the phrase “home study ready.” This means that you have completed an adoption home study and the written report is current and available. It also means that you are now ready for an adoption match or placement (depending on the type of adoption process you’re engaged in).

In domestic adoptions, many birth mothers in open adoption are seeking parents that are home study ready. It is a great relief to them to know that the family she is considering has already been investigated and will provide a safe, ready and willing home in which to welcome, love, and cherish her child.

After the Home Study is Complete

With the adoption home study complete, the adoption process can move quickly in some adoptions. For others, it may still take a year or longer to match with a birth mother and complete. It depends on a number of factors, including your specific adoption process and plan, plus paperwork, and court calendars.

Keep in mind: You must have an approved adoption home study in most states to be able to bring a child into your home or to take custody of a child. Many adoption organizations allow you to start your search with them for a match while the home study for adoption is underway.

<There are expiration dates on home studies, and almost every home study can be easily updated for a second adoption or when a family has moved. Additionally, if you are adopting in a nationwide adoption program such as Lifetime, it is important to update your background checks and child abuse clearances annually. Ask your home study provider how long the adoption home study is valid and what the cost and process is to get an update. Usually, the process is quite simple.

Lifetime Adoption: A Domestic Open Adoption Agency

When we work with adoptive parents preparing for adoption at Lifetime Adoption, we often start working prior to the home study even being started. This gives us a head start in the search for a child to adopt.

The adoptive parents must then move forward and do the paperwork that is needed in the first few weeks. Your adoption coordinator can refer you to a home study provider that has perhaps worked with adoptive parents from Lifetime; this can help in the process as well.

Please note, in Florida, Lifetime Adoption is a licensed child-placing agency and can complete your home study for you. Having Lifetime as your home study provider can often speed up the process, both for your initial home study and for subsequent updates. We can also do the court required post-placement visits, needed to finalize your adoption.

This home study assessment process normally takes 30 days to 90 days to complete. The timeframe of your adoption assessment can take longer if you delay returning your paperwork to your home study agency or social worker. That includes appointments for a physical and gathering the needed documents. Be sure to create a file for just your adoption home study and a check-off list to help keep everything organized.

Remember that the home study provider is there to help you complete your study and will answer any questions you have about the process or the adoption in general. If a social worker feels that there are any unanswered questions regarding your application or your family, they will recommend clarification before approving your home study for adoption.

Upon successful completion of your home study, a final report is written, certifying that you, the adopting parent or parents are qualified to adopt.

Each state has its own laws pertaining to adoption. You will need to speak to a qualified local adoption agency or attorney in your state about the particular home study requirements and fees. If you are working with Lifetime Adoption, we will provide qualified home study referrals.

Start the process early when possible; don’t put off beginning your search for a child until you have your home study complete. Many prospective adoptive parents are happy to know they are doing something positive by starting their search for potential birth parents while they are completing their home study for adoption.

Let us know if you have any questions!