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