If you are in the process of adopting a child or considering adopting a child, you may want to know how you can prepare for and pass the adoption home study. How do you prepare for adoption home study?
To prepare for your adoption home study, you will want to be proactive in making sure your home meets all requirements both inside and outside of your home. Have all required documents ready to provide, and rehearse how you will answer any questions you will be asked.
Although the adoption home study process varies state-to-state, the steps involved are very similar.
What Is Adoption Home Study?
Adoption home study begins after the prospective parents have completed their training courses and application.
The home study provider will ask you to fill out an application as well as provide you with an information packet.
It is in your best interest to get your application processed promptly to avoid any unnecessary delays in the typically lengthy home study process.
During your home study, you will be asked to provide personal documentation such as but not limited to your birth certificate, marriage license, financial records, and medical records.
You will be doing yourself a disservice if you wait until the time you are asked for these items to try to find them.
If you cannot find your birth certificate, for example, you will need to request a new copy from the state agency that handles birth certificates.
Not being prepared in advance can create even more delays in the already long adoption home study process.
Keep in mind that many states will only accept home studies from licensed professionals, so verify that the adoption home study provider that you have chosen meets your state’s requirements before proceeding with your home study.
There will be several in-home visits by your home study social worker. This may feel a bit invasive, but not to worry.
Your social worker wants and will try to make you feel as comfortable as possible, as they understand how uncomfortable the adoption home study process can be for prospective parents.
How much control do adoptive parents have over the type of child they adopt? Learn more here.
One in 25 U.S. families with children have an adopted child.
According to the U.S. Census, about half of these have both biological and adopted children.
Your social worker will want to conduct individual interviews with each person in your household. This includes unrelated residents residing in your home.
A background check will be required by all adults living in the household, including adult children that may still be living at home.
You will also be asked to provide character references from people that you know to help your adoption home study social worker learn more about you and your suitability to raise a child.
A safe and clean home is of very high interest to your social worker. Preparing your home for child safety and cleanliness is extremely important.
Do not worry, however; as they will not be going through your lingerie drawer, nor will they walk around with a white glove inspecting for dust.
Basic common-sense cleaning, perhaps the type of cleaning one would do that is often referred to as spring cleaning would be recommended.
It’s normal to be nervous about what seems like an invasion of your privacy. You will feel as though you are under a microscope with nothing left undiscovered in your personal life.
It is important to remember that your adoption home study provider is on your side and will be looking for reasons to approve you rather than deny you.
With so many children in need of a loving home, your home study provider will guide you in efforts to help you succeed in your adoption journey.
They are on your team, so always be polite and know they are rooting for you.
Adoption home studies end with a written report that is generated by the home study social worker that covers details about the prospective parent’s family.
This report is based on interviews, as well as third-party information such as character references, as well as other things that may apply.
Information generally included in the home study report:
- Parenting backgrounds and experiences
- A family’s daily routines
- Reasons for the desired adoption
- How ready the prospective parents seem to be
- The types of children the family can parent most effectively
- Family background
- Financial documentation
- Character reference check feedback
- Home inspection information
- Background check results
The below publications by Child Welfare Information Gateway help explain the home study process:
Do you have to be married to adopt a child? Learn the ins and outs of adopting a child as a single person.
How Long Does Adoption Home Study Take?
Understandably, you are anxious to get through the adoption process and are wondering how long does the adoption home study take?
Adoption home studies can take between 90 days to 6 months. This timeframe often depends on how prepared you are in providing the requested documents and filling out all required forms. The more prepared you are, the faster the process will be.
Knowing that the adoption home study process can take what seems like a very long time, you will want to be prepared in advance to help this process go as efficiently as possible.
Waiting until the adoption home study process to begin to find out what you will be required to provide will only delay your process, as you may not have what is being requested of you.
There are things you should start doing now to ensure your adoption home study goes as smoothly and as quickly as one would hope.
Let’s dive into the ways you can empower yourself and be on top of things so that when the home study process begins, you will feel a bit more relaxed.
The entire process will be less stressful knowing what is expected moving forward.
Have you ever wondered if an adopted child can inherit from their biological parents?
How to Prepare and Pass an Adoption Home Study?
Preparing for your adoption home study is one of the best ways to ensure a smooth, timely process. Yet, how do you prepare and pass an adoption home study?
To prepare and pass your adoption home study, have all required documents ready in advance. Childproof your home for the safety of the child, and give your home a deep cleaning. Anticipate questions you may be asked and prepare for your responses, fulfill all requests promptly, and always be polite.
Let’s start with what documents you will want to dig up.
For each member of the family, you will want to locate and have on hand things like your driver’s license or another form of photo ID.
If the individual living in the home does not drive and does not have a driver’s license, an ID card may be obtained by visiting a local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Make sure that you have a copy of birth certificates and social security cards for all members of your household, as well.
If you need a misplaced social security card, contact your local U.S. Social Security Administration for a new card.
To request a copy of a birth certificate, contact your state’s Vital Records office in the state in which you reside. Give them a call or send them an email to inquire how to proceed with your request.
Tax records will be required, so make sure that you work on getting access to those. How many years back will depend on your state requirements and the home study provider you are working with.
It is suggested to have more information than not enough. If you do not have tax return records on hand, either contact the tax facilitator that you used to process your taxes or reach out to the IRS for transcripts of your tax information.
Medical records will be requested, so have those available. If it has been a while since your last complete physical, make an appointment with your doctor so that your medical records are up-to-date.
Immigration documents will need to be provided if applicable, as well as proof of citizenship.
Contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services if you wish to confirm you have everything you need to be in good standing.
Part of the adoption home study involves ensuring you are financially fit to raise a child. You are not expected to be wealthy or on the higher end of the income scale, but you do need to be fiscally fit.
If you are more than capable of paying your housing and monthly expenses with money left over to care for a child, then you are on the right track.
As with everything in life, there are pros and cons to consider. What are the pros and cons of adoption?
About 10 percent of women (6.1 million) in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Have ready your proof of income, as well as documentation from your employer as to your length of employment to show your level of stability.
If you or someone in your household is not up-to-date on immunizations, now is a good time to get caught up.
This can be accomplished during your complete physical. If you have children currently in the home, verify with their pediatrician that they are caught with their shots.
And yes, even your pets will likely be required to be current on their vaccinations, especially their rabies shots. Reach out to your vet’s office to confirm when the next set of vaccinations is due. Visit American Veterinary Medical Association for more information.
One thing you will want to get started on as soon as possible is your autobiographical statement, otherwise known as your autobiographical story.
An autobiographical statement is a story of your life and will help your adoption home study provider understand you better, as well as assist them in writing your home study.
Get specifics from your adoption agency as to the desired length of your story as well as what topics you should cover.
Now let’s address preparing your home for inspection. Double-check that you have all the necessary smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors all with new batteries. Are your heating and cooling systems working properly?
Make sure that you have a first aid kit with all of the necessary basics. Are your appliances running and safe to use?
Childproof all sharp edges such as furniture. Are all windows and screens locked and secure? Also, each set of stairs must have a gate.
Buy and apply covers for all electrical outlets. Ensure that firearms are locked and out of reach. And we had better hope that there is no lead paint in the home. If you have a deck or a pool, install guardrails and ensure your yard is safe.
There are also several standard questions you will want to prepare yourself for which are in the checklist below.
Give these questions some thought and think about how you would respond if asked about any of these topics.
Adoption Home Study Checklist: Be Prepared
We have put together an adoption home study checklist to recap the things you will most certainly want to address in preparation for the adoption home study process.
Use this checklist to feel more in control of what you need to do to prepare for your adoption home study.
An adoption home study checklist is an organized way of keeping prospective parents on track with the requirements of the adoption home study process. The adoption home study checklist includes a list of the documents to have ready, how to prepare for your home inspection, and so much more.
Below is your adoption home study checklist:
Documentation
- Driver’s license and/or government-issued ID
- Birth certificates
- Social security cards
- Tax records
- Medical records
- Immigration documents – Proof of citizenship
- Proof of income
- Something in writing from your employer showing your length of employment
- Immunizations up-to-date
- Pet vaccinations up-to-date
- Autobiographical statement
Home Inspection Readiness
- Smoke alarms and new batteries
- Carbon monoxide detectors and new batteries
- Working heating and cooling systems
- Stocked first aid kit
- Safe and working appliances
- Childproof sharp corners such as on furniture
- Locked windows and screens
- Gates on stairs
- Cover electrical outlets
- Firearms are locked and out of reach
- No led paint
- Guardrails on decks and pools
- Safe yard
Topics to Be Ready to Discuss
- Reasons for wanting to adopt a child
- Your views on parenting
- How was your childhood, and would you parent differently
- What do you hope for your adopted child?
- What do you know about the adoption process?
- How do you feel about cultural diversity?
- How would you handle transracial family dynamics?
- Are you educated on what to expect adopting a child who has gone through the adoption process (especially an older child who may have trauma issues, etc.)
- Be ready to discuss your job
It would be wise to address the above checklist as soon as possible. The more on top of your game that you appear to your adoption home study caseworker, the better off you are.
Being prepared and organized will help you shine.
Remember that even though the home study process may feel a bit intrusive, there will be a day when it will be over.
Keep your eye on the prize and know it will all be worth the time and effort in the end.
About the Author:
Trina Greenfield is passionate about providing information to those considering growing their family. Trina does not run an adoption agency. Her website is strictly information-based, so she is able to provide unbiased, credible information that she hopes will help guide those along their journey.
