HOME STUDY

A Home Study is a standard procedure in either domestic or international adoption process. It is performed by a state government-licensed agency to ensure that a prospective family is suitable to raise an adoptive child. The Home Study is required by BCIS (former INS) to approve your I-600A form for international adoption. A letter from a Home Study performing agency is also required for your Dossier that will be submitted to local authorities in the country of your adoptive child.

A Home Study assessor will visit your house once or twice, depending on state regulations, and interview your family members. He or she will verify that you are ready to assume moral and financial responsibility for a child, and provide a safe and nurturing environment. In the process, the assessor will also collect copies of financial statements and other documents. A list of required documents varies from state to state.

Once your Home Study is approved, it is sent to BCIS to be included with your I-600A application. Because home study takes less time to complete than I-600A processing, we always recommend submitting I-600A first with a note that Home Study will be sent later. This does not delay your BCIS approval in any way unless you wait too long to complete and/or mail your Home Study.

Home Study may take anywhere from one to three months, 6 to 8 weeks being an average. It is also draining, both physically and emotionally: preparing all the paperwork, getting recommendations, etc, etc. So remind yourself why you are doing all this - and the thought of bringing your precious new son or daughter home will soften the ordeal.

While home studies vary slightly from agency to agency and state to state, there are several key elements that are almost always included in every home study.  These elements stem from requirements of the state in which the adoptive family resides, the type of adoption the adoptive family is pursuing, and the agency conducting the home study.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY: In most cases adoptive families are asked to complete an autobiography.  It is essentially the story of your life, and may include such items as childhood experiences, family relationships, marriage dynamics, infertility experience, employment status, etc.

HEALTH STATEMENT: Health examinations are typically required in order to insure the safety of the child being brought into the home and to establish the physical condition of the adoptive parents.  The goals of the health statements are to make sure the family is in good general health, they have normal life expectancies, and they are able to physically and mentally care for a child.  If there is an existing medical condition you are not necessarily precluded from adopting a child as long as the condition is not a threat to others and the condition is under a doctor's care and supervision.

BACKGROUND RECORDS CHECK: Most states require that adoptive families undergo some type of criminal and child abuse background records checks.  Typically, this is done by submitting a request provided by your adoption professional to the appropriate state or federal agency.  In some states, adoptive families may be required to get fingerprinted in order to do a more thorough background check.

Note: Most misdemeanors that occurred in the past will not have an adverse effect on the outcome of the home study, although they will be addressed.  Major felony convictions and crimes against children are reasons a home study would not be approved.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: Financial records are required to make sure adoptive families can manage their current finances and insure that adding another family member will not put them in financial peril.  Items requested include copies of tax forms, insurance policies, bank statements, mortgage or rent payments, etc.

Note: While there is not necessarily a minimum income that is required to adopt a child, the adoptive family must show they can manage their finances and are able to accept a child into their home without undue financial burden.

CHARACTER REFERENCES: References are provided in order to get an overall picture of an adoptive family.  Most references will include employees, personal friends, neighbors, clergy, and family members.  For the most part, references are used to assess the adoptive family's desire and fitness to parent a child.  As a rule, references are typically not shared with an adoptive family in order to maintain their integrity.

PERSONAL INTERVIEW: In almost all cases one or more interviews will be required with the Social Worker conducting the home study.  At least one of these interviews will take place in the home of the adoptive family.  The personal interviews are meant to explore the adoptive family's decision to adopt and to make sure their home is adequately prepared to receive a child.

Personal interviews and the home visit are not meant to frighten families, as the social worker is not looking for the perfect home or the perfect couple.  They want to establish that the child will enter into a safe environment and the adoptive family is going to be able to comfortably accommodate a new family member.