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