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