MYTH: To Pass A Home Study, You Have To Be Rolling In Cash.

Truth: Home Studies Aren’t Focused Solely on Your Finances.

Look around you. Families who give birth to kids range in income from the super wealthy to those in debt. But they still get to be families with kids. Likewise, adoption agencies know that their clients’ incomes will vary. Don’t stress over this. As part of your home study, your agency will have you list your income and assets; do so honestly and discuss how you will financially manage a new child in your household. Perhaps there’s an area of your budget in which your social worker may provide valuable insight that will serve to ease your financial burdens. Remember, while finances are important, the main focus of the home study will revolve around your character, how your upbringing informs your ideas of parenting, and the strengths and dynamics of your relationship with your spouse or partner (if applicable).

MYTH: Your Home Study Will Be On Display For Potential Birth Parents.

TRUTH: Home Studies Aren’t Shown to Expectant Parents.

Everything you share in your home study is entirely confidential, the same way the information you share with your doctor is confidential. Your agency will not show a word of your home study report to the expectant parents who will ultimately view your family profile (the fun, picture-filled document you create yourself) to determine if you might be a good match for their baby. Think of your home study as the stretching and preparation before an athletic competition. It’s designed to help you examine your full selves before you get the chance to sit down with confidence alongside the brave woman who has chosen you to parent her baby.

MYTH: Social Workers Do Home Studies Just So They Can Fail You.

TRUTH: Home Studies Aren’t Meant to Rule You Out.

In my experience, one of the most common fears I’ve heard is that if you don’t have your entire life and household in perfectly squeaky-clean working order, your agency will eliminate you as a prospective adoptive family quicker than a judge on a voice-talent competition show (take your pick of one, I’ve lost count). Families aren’t perfect and your agency doesn’t expect you to be. In the days leading up to our first home study meeting, my wife and I must have scrubbed our entire house free of even the good bacteria. I remember peeling back the shower curtain and telling my social worker to check out her reflection in our bathtub. She laughed and reminded me how unnecessary it was (though I’ll be honest, the tub totally needed the scrubbing regardless). Your social worker will ensure that you have running water, that all the toilets flush, that you have proper smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and that there are no obvious hazards such as exposed wiring or sharp objects at kid-grabbing height. If any issues are noticed, you’ll be asked to take care of them. There’s no three-strikes-you’re-out policy. So, while this whole process is indeed daunting, remember your social worker and your agency are working with you and are on your side. Like you, they want nothing more than to see your family grow plus one when that exciting time comes.

The post 3 Myths about Home Studies appeared first on Adoption Home Studies | How to Get Papers, Paperwork, Forms.

What is the Home Study? Every state, while sometimes different, requires a licensed social worker or licensed agency to compile certain resources and information about the adoptive parents to be presented to the court at the time of the hearing or adoption finalization. To my surprise, the home study is actually a long written narrative that outlines literally everything about the adoptive family, from your medical history to the specifics of your house, all the way down to your extended family. It is quite detailed which is why you will spend more time completing your application than you will with your actual agent who will come to your home for a visit.  

Our two adoptions were both domestic, in-state infant adoptions through a local agency. Once you complete all the paperwork, it’s time for the home visit. So let me tell you from personal experience just What The Home Study is Really Like.

I asked my husband recently what he remembers most about our first home study. His response. . .”It wasn’t anything to worry about.” And there, you have it.  What we build up in our minds over the upcoming Home Study is really nothing at all to worry about. The one thing I came out on the other end of adoption realizing that may help ease your anxiety is that the Social worker WANTS you to adopt! They want a child to be placed in your home, and they want to find the right family for every child. In short. . .the Social worker is FOR you, not against you. They are not entering your home for the white glove test or to judge you for not cleaning your oven or folding your towels into thirds. NO, they are there to make sure that all safety requirements are met, that your home environment, both physical and emotional, is suitable and desirable for a new addition to your family. They are there as a huge resource to you and your family on this journey. They are there to HELP you! 

I spent hours upon hours researching and Googling just what we should expect for our home study. And most just said, it’s not as bad as you think. But where are the specifics? I mean, that’s what we want to know, right? The focus was on our family interview and safety around the house. Get those locks for dangerous items like paint, medications, poisons, household cleaners, guns, ammunition. Put up gas cans in the garage. Install carbon monoxide and smoke detector; adjust the temperature on your hot water heater; make sure each window has screens; make sure outside doors have locks—and then be yourself.  

For our first adoption, we spent months cleaning and painting and installing safety gates, foam on the hearth around the fireplace, baby locks on everything to the point we could no longer get into the cupboard to get a glass so we just sat a stack of disposable cups on the counter. Yeah, we were in this thing for all it was worth.

Exactly one year after our daughter was born, we received a call that we had another baby already born. Everything in our home study had pretty much already been updated as we did anticipate another adoption in the future. But we were not expecting that particular call that day. So, on a Sunday, just 24 hours after getting “the call” the social worker was on our doorstep for her interview and walk through.

Our second adoption home study went a little like this. “Come on in. . .watch your step through the sea of toys and don’t trip as you scale the toddler gate into the living room.” The laundry was piled high, the sink had dishes in it and I’m pretty sure I had to advise 2 out of our 6 kiddos to please put on pants.  

The social worker places more importance on your interview than the condition of your house. They want to know if everyone is on board with adopting. Your strengths and things you want to work on. What kind of situation you are willing to and ready to handle.  They just want to find the right match between family and child. They want to watch your child come home.

The post What the Home Study Is Really Like appeared first on Adoption Home Studies | How to Get Papers, Paperwork, Forms.

1. Get the Checklist

One aspect of the home study that I was most worried about was the “safety audit.” I was nervous that I would miss some sort of safety hazard in my home or not know about a criteria the social worker would be expecting me to have fulfilled. While your home doesn’t often have to be completely childproofed at the time of the home study, there are some basic safety requirements that each county will require. In researching requirements, I hit the jackpot when I found the “Safety Audit” paperwork for our counties DFS available online. I was simply able to print the checklist the social worker would be using so I knew exactly what to expect. If you are unable to find the safety audit online, contact your local child protective service office or even just your agency to see if they will send you a copy of the checklist. I was able to make sure every criteria was covered before our home study and eliminate any fear that I had previously.

2. Have the Paperwork Ready

While our agency provided a list of paperwork we needed for the day of our home study, we found out at the first interview that we did not have everything we needed. We had every piece of documentation they asked for, but there were additional pieces needed that they had failed to note. While there was a moment of panic, I had luckily prepared for such an incident by having all of our legal, tax, and identification documents at the ready in case there would be anything more they needed. A few days before your home study, make sure you have every document needed. In addition, make copies of all your important documents in case your social worker needs additional documentation or clarification. Have a computer and printer ready for anything you may be missing. 

3. Plan Ahead

The night before our first home study, I did not sleep at all. I was nervous, but I also left way too much to do at the last minute. So much of your home study will be about your personal interview, not how clean your home is. While the safety audit and having your home tidy is important to address, it is vital that you are well rested so you can put your best foot forward. Don’t be like me and leave everything to the last minute. I can still feel the panic and dread I experienced the night before our first home study visit. It is just not worth procrastinating! Gather some help from friends and family and get everything done at least a week prior to your home study. Your goal should be to just have a little last minute tidying the night before so you can get ample rest. Check all of your checklists a few days before and make sure you are completely ready. There is little worse than realizing you are missing a vital piece of documentation at 9 a.m. the day of your home study. Trust me, I know!

The post 3 Great Ideas to Prepare for A Home Study appeared first on Adoption Home Studies | How to Get Papers, Paperwork, Forms.

1. You’re a stranger.

As an adoption worker, the lowest standard is in this hypothetical situation taken from the PSMAPP pre-service curriculum: if I became temporarily incapacitated and could not care for my child, what would I what to know about the stranger that would take care of my child for about one year? That’s where the home study comes in; it answers questions every birth parent, as well as state officials, want to know.

2. Your family/friends know you better than I do.

Therefore, as an adoption specialist, I will call them and request a reference. Adoption specialists expect references to be open, honest, and thorough. Our questions may contain yes/no questions; open-ended questions; and multiple-choice questions such as: What qualities do the applicants have that would make them good foster/adoptive parents? What experience do the applicants have with children, etc.?  

3. We need to make sure you are who you say you are.

Children are precious. Why would we not want to make sure they are safe in the home of a total stranger? In Arizona, foster/adopt agencies complete many local, state and Federal checks such as the following: driving records; fingerprinting; a Child Protective Services check; and a Criminal History Affidavit where you basically swear that you have not been arrested or charged with any crimes. Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?

4. We won’t give you the “white glove test”…well, actually we might. 

Though adoption workers aren’t necessarily looking for spotless homes, but rather health and safety. For example, a hamper full of dirty laundry may not be a concern. However, a hamper full of moldy clothes may be a health concern. Or laundry strewn across a flight of steps may present a danger to children. Your home is where the child where be living, therefore adoption agencies need to make sure it is safe and healthy.  

5. We don’t need your life history…well…actually, we do.

Adoption agencies need a mini-biography from all applicants. Information such as: how you were raised as a child; childhood discipline; current family relationships; and biological children are all included in the home study.

6. Home studies are part of your permanent record.

On the one hand, each successive home study can be built upon the original one. If you transfer to another foster/adopt agency or move out of state, the home study follows you, and you don’t have to start from scratch. On the other hand, if there is an unsubstantiated allegation against you, the allegation stays in your permanent record. Either way, the home study is important.

7. Home Studies can become legal documents.

Not only do social workers review home studies, but also state agencies, attorneys, and judges. The home study is what the State uses to determine whether to license an applicant for foster care. The home study is what a judge uses to determine whether to certify you for adoption and ultimately, whether to grant you an adoption. Home studies can be subpoenaed, entered into the court record and the adoption specialist and her supervisor can be called to testify as to the contents of the home study.

Bottom line: the home study is important, whether for foster care or adoption. The wait is worth it because once approved you get the honor and blessing of caring for a child who is in the system through no fault of his own. Be patient! It’s well worth it!

The post Why the Home Study Is Important appeared first on Adoption Home Studies | How to Get Papers, Paperwork, Forms.

If you are interested in learning more about the home study before you begin, there are some online resources that can be of assistance. If you are interested in adopting from foster care, Adoption.com has resources that lay out the basics of the foster care home study. If you are interested in adopting internationally, the state department’s website (travel.state.gov) has a link with home study requirements with a basic outline of home study requirements for both Hague convention and non-Hague countries. Additionally, adoptionlearningpartners.org is a great website with many resources for pre-adoptive and adoptive parents, including webinars and presentations about the home study process. Adoption.com is also the world’s largest online adoption website, and it contains tons of information regarding all topics of adoption and foster care. 

If you are adopting for the first time, don’t think you have to start your home study already knowing exactly what is expected of you. Your home study agency will provide you with all of the information you need. If possible, try to talk to a few different home study agencies before deciding who you will work with. Finding someone who is receptive to your questions and who you feel comfortable working with is important!

The post Is There A Home Study Course I Can Take? appeared first on Adoption Home Studies | How to Get Papers, Paperwork, Forms.

Everyone will have insight to share; everyone will want to tell you about what parenthood was like for them the first time they became a parent, and every story will be different. If I may, I’d like to take an opportunity to share with you our experience of our home study as we prepared to bring our daughter home.

The adoption agency we chose to use in our own adoption provided a list of the many things we needed to do in order to prepare our house for having a baby, which was helpful. Although, like I said everyone will have something to add, knowing what was important from our own adoption agency helped us prepare the right path. After we felt comfortable that we had completed every single item on the list—from installing outlet plugs to baby proofing the cabinets with latches, buying baby gates for the stairs, and relocating all the chemicals to upper cabinets—we were ready for our home study.

I remember my nerves were running high; questions were continually running through my mind. What if we’d missed something? What if we hadn’t done something properly? What if we didn’t pass our inspection? On and on and on the questions ran through my mind.

The day of the inspection, I don’t think either my husband or I had slept the night before. We were worried about all the things we could have done wrong. The inspector came to our house, clipboard in hand, gave us a brief introduction about who he was and what his purpose was, things he’d be looking for, and asked that we let him tour the house on his own.

Items were checked off one at a time, but the inspector stayed quiet, not letting us know one way or another how we had done. He opened cabinet doors, checked the locks on all the doors, tested the stabilization of the baby gate, checked every nook and cranny, and made notations all along the way.

The process took about an hour; it was extremely thorough. Our only job was to stay out of the inspector’s way and to answer questions as they came up. Nothing more intimidating than having someone come in to critique your house specifically looking for all the things you’ve done wrong all while keeping quiet; it was torture.

At the end of the tour, our inspector made his way back to us, and for the first time, showed any real emotion as he smiled and told us as far as he was concerned, we had passed the inspection with flying colors. He gave us a short list of additional things to consider doing in upstairs rooms as our child became mobile. A huge sigh of relief came over me and one more hurdle in the long line of hurdles had been completed; we were one step closer to becoming parents.

We were lucky that my husband is very handy with tools. He knew the proper way to install the baby gate, attach internal cabinet latches on each cabinet door, how to add out-of-reach door latches to the basement door, and how to secure furniture to the walls, preventing it from tipping. We live in a society now, though, that you can easily find and hire an agency to childproof your home. So for those less tool-savvy, it might be the best option.

In the grand scheme of things and looking back on at the situation, it seems almost like a nonevent, but at the time it was happening, it was in fact an essential part of moving closer to becoming parents, and one we took very seriously.

The post Our Experience of Going through A Home Study appeared first on Adoption Home Studies | How to Get Papers, Paperwork, Forms.

1. The purpose of the home study is to protect children, not to find dirt on you. Children in foster care have most likely experienced abuse, trauma, and neglect. Rules are in place to ensure these children are placed in safe, loving homes.
2. Your caseworkers will ask you for a list of references to interview. This is one way your caseworker can get to know you and your past and determine what are your strengths and weaknesses in parenting. The purpose of identifying weaknesses is to put additional services in place to make sure that the fostering and adoption process has the highest rate of success possible.
3. The home inspection can identify possible safety hazards in the home. Accidents are the number one cause of deaths in children, and the most common are accidental drownings. The caseworker will work with you in determining safety nets to put in place in the home, such as putting a fence around pools to keep children physically safe. 
4. Interviews with all of the adults in the home will ensure that there are no red flags. For example, a person who appears to have severe mental or physical disabilities that would limit him or her from being a present and able parent can be identified.
5. All of the information gathered during the home study process is sealed in a file and is kept confidential. This information cannot be accessed by individuals other than the social workers and agency who will be approving your home. This is not public information. This information will not be given to your children or your children’s biological family.

The post 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of the Home Study appeared first on Adoption Home Studies | How to Get Papers, Paperwork, Forms.