| Whether you are considering doing an agency | | | | adoptive family. Illnesses that are |
| or independent adoption, one of the first | | | | controlled by medication and are not terminal |
| things that you will have to do is to work | | | | or minor mental health issues that are |
| with an agency to complete a Home Study. The | | | | controlled by medication and counseling |
| Home Study is comprised of information that | | | | typically do not affect the Home Study |
| you give to the agency in the form of | | | | process either. Terminal illnesses, current |
| questionnaires, interviews and forms. For | | | | police records, being on the sexual offender |
| many couples, this is the most nerve racking | | | | registry or child abuse registry are all |
| part of the whole adoption process.The first | | | | things that would more than likely keep you |
| thing you should do is to choose an agency | | | | have having an approved Home Study. Not |
| that you feel comfortable with. You have to | | | | being honest during the Home Study process |
| share a lot of information during the Home | | | | can have a negative affect on approval as |
| Study process and you need to feel good about | | | | well.If you have a police record and do not |
| the agency that is getting all of this | | | | discuss it with your casework, it can cause |
| information. Most agencies will hopefully | | | | more problems in the long run, even if it was |
| try to make you feel as comfortable as | | | | just a minor incident. They will find any |
| possible during the process. They are not | | | | records, arrests, charges you have had when |
| there to judge you or to give you a pass or | | | | they do the background check even if the |
| fail grade. They are there to help you | | | | charges were dropped, so it is best to be up |
| become a family. They recognize that in many | | | | front about everything.Many agencies also |
| ways it is not fair that adoptive families | | | | have agency specific guidelines or items that |
| have to go through the Home Study process to | | | | they include in the Home Study. Some |
| become parents when they would not have to | | | | agencies might include information about your |
| have a Home Study if they weren't building | | | | religion, even including a statement of |
| their family through adoption.The purpose of | | | | faith. They might ask you about your views |
| the Adoption Home Study Process is two fold. | | | | on disciplining and have a special section in |
| As a legal document, it lets the court know | | | | the Home Study that discusses your discipline |
| that families have met certain state and | | | | plans for your child. They might have you |
| federal guidelines surrounding adoptive | | | | fill out a form that states what kind of |
| families. It also lets Birthparents who are | | | | placement you feel comfortable with including |
| choosing adoption to know that their child | | | | Birthparent medical and social background and |
| will be with a loving family in a safe home | | | | activity during pregnancy, such as a |
| and they will be well cared for. Typically | | | | Birthmother who smokes during her entire |
| in agency adoptions the written Home Study | | | | pregnancy or a Birthfather whose family has a |
| that contains identifying information is not | | | | history of Schizophrenia. Many agencies want |
| shared with the Birthparents, but | | | | a statement from you about openness and |
| non-identifying information is shared if they | | | | adoption and how you feel about continued |
| have questions. Birthparents are given a | | | | contact with the Birthparents, sharing |
| copy of the Home Study in many independent | | | | pictures and letters and talking you to your |
| adoptions.Although each state has its own | | | | child about adoption.When doing an agency |
| specific guidelines surrounding the Home | | | | adoption, you may have to go through a Home |
| Study, most states agree on the same basic | | | | Study group with other couples who are |
| information to be included in the Home Study. | | | | currently going through the adoption Home |
| This basic information includes a local and | | | | Study Process at the same time you are. The |
| nationwide police background check (sometimes | | | | groups are like the educational part of the |
| done by fingerprints, sometimes done by name | | | | Home Study. They will include such topics as |
| and social security number), a child sexual | | | | talking to your child about adoption, |
| abuse, child abuse and sexual offender | | | | openness in adoption, meeting Birthparents, |
| registry background check, a physical | | | | grief and loss surround infertility and how |
| including blood work, a TB test and a drug | | | | to put together a picture profile/resume to |
| screen, reference letters from friends, | | | | be shown to Birthparents. Sometimes |
| family and other people and a financial form | | | | Birthparents, adoptive parents and adult |
| that basically needs to show that there is | | | | adoptees come and speak to the group about |
| more money coming in that going out.There are | | | | their adoption experiences so that you can |
| forms or questionnaires that cover such | | | | get information from everyone's |
| subjects as parenting, marriage, views on | | | | viewpoint.This is all the basic information |
| adoption and your fertility process. You can | | | | that you can expect to be included in your |
| expect to write a short autobiography and | | | | Home Study process. You may find that the |
| should receive a basic outline for the | | | | agency you use has a few additional things |
| autobiography from your agency. You will | | | | that they will have you do. You should feel |
| have individual interviews and interviews | | | | comfortable asking your agency questions |
| conducted as a couple. At some point, the | | | | along the way and discussing what you need to |
| agency will conduct a home visit. During | | | | have completed when they do the Home Visit, |
| this visit you will need to have working fire | | | | such as child proofing, fire extinguishers, |
| alarms, a fire extinguisher and you will need | | | | etc. You need to remember that they are here |
| to show that any fire arms you own are locked | | | | to help you become a family, not to judge you |
| and secured so that no children can get to | | | | or stamp you with a pass or fail grade. Work |
| them.Although the Home Study is quite | | | | with your agency and be open and honest |
| extensive, it takes a lot to not be approved | | | | during the process. By doing these things, |
| as an adoptive family. Minor offenses that | | | | it will help your Home Study process to go |
| happened 20 years ago or traffic violations | | | | smoothly and it will be easier on you in the |
| typically do not affect being approved as an | | | | end. |