The Adoption Home Study: A Brief Guide
What is an adoption Home Study?
The goal of a home study is to help adoption agencies locate the best home for each child that they place. The adoption agency works to make a good match between parent and child to work towards a permanency for the family. The actual home study is an educational process that is designed to shed light onto the family unit that currently exists. The home study worker asks questions through paperwork and interviews that give insight into the motivation and commitment for adoption, and strengths of the marriage, finances, and general family environment of the prospective parents. In turn, prospective parents learn through the home study as well. Those participating in a home study can learn not only about the adoption process, but also gain insight into internal thoughts of themselves and other members of the family in regards to the adoption.
What paper work do I need for an adoption Home Study?
The home study worker and agency will provide prospective parents with a list of all the required paperwork. In general, the paper work takes several weeks to compile and requires errands to the bank, physician’s office, and local police department. This is a good time for prospective parents to create an organizational system of paperwork so that if needed again this documentation is ready and available.
Each state requires different paper work to complete a home study. The following are items that are commonly included:
- Autobiographies (often created by answering already established questions)
- Certified copies of birth certificates for each member of the household
- Certified copies of marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and death certificate of a former spouse (if applicable)
- Certified copies of adoption decrees for previous adopted children
- All child abuse and criminal record clearance
- Notarized statements from the local police office stating prospective adoptive parents are free from felony convictions
- Verification of Income such as tax returns, W-2 forms, and notarized letter confirming checking and savings accounts
- A statement of health from a physician
- Letters of reference from friends and family
How long does a home study take?
Each agency may proceed with adoption home studies in different ways. In general, when prospective parents quickly comply with the necessary paperwork requirements the adoption home study will take 1 to 4 months. A tip for increasing the speed of a home study is to organize a to-do list that is time sensitive. For example, knowing that one needs to receive a medical exam from a physician it is wise to schedule this at the start of the home study process as often it takes several weeks or months before an appointment.
How much does a home study cost?
A home study, like many other parts of an adoption, will have fees that vary depending on the state and agency. In general a home study costs from several hundred dollars to several thousand. If a home study costs in the thousands it should most likely include some pre and post placement services in this fee.
