For many hopeful adoptive parents, home studies are the most nerve-wracking and time-consuming part of the adoption process. However, with the home study tips in this article, we’ll talk about what to expect and how to prepare. We’ll also provide checklists, debunk common adoption home study myths, and share a proven method for de-cluttering your house!
Home Study Key Takeaways
- A home study is an evaluation by a licensed social worker, and it is required to adopt. It is also your chance to learn about the adoption process and parenting an adopted child.
- The process has three stages: paperwork, interviews and a home visit, and a written report.
- Most home studies take two to four months, depending on your state, your provider’s schedule, and how quickly you turn in your paperwork.
- The initial home study typically costs $2,000 to $4,000, paid to your home study provider.
- You don’t need to be wealthy, own your home, or have a perfect house or past. The social worker is looking for a safe, stable home and honest answers.
What is a home study?
It’s an evaluation of a prospective adoptive family that a licensed social worker completes. Having an approved home study is required by state and federal regulations to adopt.
We recommend using the time spent on your home study to get educated on the adoption process and parenting an adopted child. Your home study provider should be able to answer any of your questions that might come up. Your attorney will use your home study to file with the court. Then, the judge will review your home study before finalizing your adoption.
Information in a Home Study Includes:
- Important people in your lives
- Your background (upbringing, parents and siblings, and major life events)
- Marriage and family relationships
- Expectations for your child and the adoption
- Motive to adopt
- Feelings about infertility (if relevant)
- Parenting approach
- How you’ll integrate your child into the family
- Family environment
- Your health history
- Education
- Employment
- Finances (including your insurance coverage)
- Childcare plans
- References
- Criminal background clearances
What to Expect During the Home Study Process
Typically, the home study process has three stages. First, you’ll complete the required paperwork. In the second stage, state law normally requires at least one home visit and individual interviews of both of you, if you’re married.
Finally, your social worker will create a report that includes an evaluation of your family and their recommendation for adoption. The entire process takes two to four months, depending on how busy the home study worker is and how quickly you can complete your paperwork.
Who Conducts the Home Study?
A licensed social worker, sometimes called a home study writer, conducts your home study. They may work for an adoption agency or be contracted by one. Your adoption professional can refer you to a provider in your state and help you get started with the application.
Ask early whether your adoption requires a home study completed by a child-placing agency, since some states accept only those.
How Much Does a Home Study Cost?
The initial home study typically costs between $2,000 and $4,000, depending on your state and provider. When you compare providers, ask what the fee includes: home visits, the written report, required training classes, and background check or fingerprinting fees. That way you’re comparing like with like.
For the bigger picture, see our breakdown of the total cost of adoption.
Home Study Updates
A home study doesn’t last forever. Many states require an update if your home study expires before a baby is placed with you, often after about a year. You may also need one if your family’s circumstances change, such as a move, a new job, or a new member of your household. An update is usually less involved than your first home study. Ask your provider about your state’s timeline.
Post-Placement Visits
Your social worker’s role doesn’t end when your baby comes home. Depending on your state, one or more post-placement visits are required before your adoption can be finalized. The social worker checks in on how everyone is adjusting and writes a report for your attorney and the court. Your provider can tell you how many visits your state requires.
Want the full picture? Our complete guide, Adoption Home Study: What Adoptive Families Need to Know, covers the full document list, background checks, interviews, the home visit, and even how to prepare your dog.
How to Prepare
We recommend that you get ready to answer very personal questions about your childhood, marriage, and issues. These questions include topics such as the way your parents disciplined you as a child, marriage conflict, mental health concerns, infertility issues, and financial struggles.
By asking such personal questions, the social worker is trying to see how you manage stress and difficulty. Do you have a strong support system? How have you worked through challenging issues in the past? Are you quick to recognize weakness and ask for help? By being honest about how you’ve coped during difficult times in your lives, the social worker can get a clear perspective.
Want to hear what those questions sound like in real life? The Let’s Talk Adoption podcast walks through them in a two-part series: 10 Home Study Questions You’re Too Afraid to Ask — Part One and Part Two. They’re a good listen to share with your spouse or partner as you both prepare.
Common Home Study Myths
“We need to be wealthy.”
Even though adoption can be costly, you don’t need to be well-off to get your home study approved. What’s more important than how much is in your bank account is your debt, budget, and how you spend. The social worker wants to see that you’re financially stable, pay your bills, and stay out of debt.
“Our house has to be perfect.”
A social worker isn’t expecting perfection when they walk into a home. They anticipate walking into a house that looks lived in. We promise you that the social worker isn’t going to do a white glove test!
“We must own our home.”
Hopeful adoptive parents who rent their homes can also be approved to adopt.
“Our pasts need to be spotless.”
You’re only human, and the social worker will understand that. All couples must answer questions about their criminal, medical, and social backgrounds.
“The adoptive couple will need to share whether or not they have been directly or indirectly exposed to circumstances such as alcohol/drug abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, jail, counseling, or financial issues. Truth be told, most have had some sort of exposure,” shares Linda Rotz, Lifetime’s Director of Adoption Services.
Once you discuss any issues with the social worker, they will evaluate and address the nature of the problems accordingly. Sometimes, a couple must take additional training or show growth and change in a specific area. Certain felonies would disqualify a family, but each state has its own statutes, so it would be something the social worker would have to evaluate with you.
A Checklist to Get Ready for Your Home Study
Many hopeful adoptive parents find the home study process to be overwhelming. The adoption home study checklist below will help you get ready!
We want to note that regulations differ depending on your state. We’ve made this home study checklist general enough to cover the variety of documents and clearances most will need. If your home has any safety concerns, the home study professional will usually let you know of the issue, so you have time to correct them before finishing the home study.
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