Question About Preadoption Homestudy

A.,
I don't have any answers for you, but just wanted to say THANK YOU! for considering adoption! (from a very happy and stable adoptee!) You'll be giving the most wonderful gift of a family!

I really dont have any suggestions for you...hopefully your local agency could put you in touch with someone to help you with the details of what is entailed in a home study. I just wanted to say how much I admire you and your husband for wanting to give deserving children a loving home!!! God Bless You for your generous and loving hearts!!!
Merry Christmas!!

I can see you already have quite a few responses, and very detailed. I just can't help putting in my version, since I LOVE discussing adoption and what joy it has brought to our family! Our homestudy was long, but not overwhelming. You walk away feeling like you were on the couch at the psychiatrist's office. Our caseworker barely looked at our house, something you don't expect when you hear "home"study. She wanted to know more about us, both as individuals and as a couple/family. We did discuss financial, but not in judging terms. She wanted to know more of how we would pay for any needs the child would need. She wanted to know about our marriage, how we grew up (as far as discipline, family love, parents, siblings, etc). She asked our opinions on how we would raise this child. When we adopted #2, she asked a lot about the sibling thing. No, they didn't expect the house to be baby-proofed, but did suggest ways we could do that to make sure we had thought of this. We met with her in our home for almost 5 hours, or was it 6? Probably at least 2 hours of that was one-on-one time with both my husband and I. They will want to see if there is space for the child, not fabulous, well-decorated, but state-required spacing to provide a bed and home for the child. They might ask you about schooling for the child, and family support. I remember we were so nervous about our home study. I bought special candles (to make the house smell good), cleaned like crazy, and stressed to no end. In the end, once she left, I looked at my husband and said, that wasn't so bad. I did have food available for lunch, since I knew she'd be there so long. We just had sub sandwiches prepared ahead of time, and cookies. Something not messy, and something you might not have to spend a lot of time preparing.

Don't let it stress you!! They just want to make sure you will provide a loving environment for a child/children. They don't expect a mansion, millions of dollars, or anything super fancy, trust me!! These same caseworkers deal with the opposite end (where the kids come from in the first place), so your situation will seem good for the most part! We adopted our daughter, almost 4, and son, almost 2, w/in the last few years. If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask! I love talking about adoption and love what the wonderful world of adoption has brought for our family. Good luck!!

S.

I don't know about other states, but in Kansas you start by taking the PS-MAPP class for foster parents, and they will answer most of your questions. My husband and I are foster parents, so we have had to baby-proof our home, but I don't know if this applies to families that are adoptive only. The homestudy includes just about everything from family background to physical/mental health to relationships. Income is included as well, but my husband and I are in a less-than-ideal financial situation, and this has not impacted our ability to adopt. If you do this through the state, the homestudy is free- normally it costs thousands of dollars. Good luck to you, and thank you for being willing to take this on- there is such a great need for adoptive families for sibling groups.

I wasn't able to read all of the responses, but it looks like you got a lot of advice & info. I am a social worker and did my practicums in adoption & then worked for a foster care agency for 2 1/2 years. Depending on what state you are in, you can google what adoption agencies are near you. If you are in Missouri (Kansas City area) I would recommend Downey Side. They are a private agency that licenses foster parents who are wanting to adopt. They will take very good care of you & will be able to answer all of your specific questions. Overall I would say, though, that your home will need to be considered "safe" & meet state regulations (which some are little strange) so definitely inquire about what those are so you can complete those parts of your house if they aren't done already. Income is looked at, but it isn't really a factor as people who are on state assistance can still be a foster parent & adopt. The home study does get pretty involved and asks some personal questions, but I would say just to relax and be yourselves. Hopefully you'll get a great social worker who will help you feel at ease about the process.

Lastly I just wanted to say it takes special people to decide to adopt through the foster care system. I commend you for making this decision!!

Hello A.. I'm an adoption specialist so I can answer this question for you. You definitely need to have a home study done before you can qualify to adopt a child. If you are choosing to adopt foster care children, the state will generally do the home study for you free of charge. They will require you to attend a series of classes first.

My husband and I are in the process of adopting from the Foster care system currently. The home study was no major issues - just checking to make sure the home is safe - fire ext, smoke det, living space. They check to see if you have guns in the home, type of neighborhood, etc. We are going through an agency called Missouri Alliance and they do not ask for financial details - I have heard that others do. Just be prepared for rushing to get everything done - and then waiting to find the kids - we got our license a year ago - and are still waiting.

You have gotten tons of great and accurate information about the home study process, so there's not much I can add. I do want to encourage you about adoption. As another Mom on this site wrote you, it has also been for us the most wonderful thing to happen to our family. I will warn you that it is a roller-coaster ride to the finish line, so stay strong and focus on the goal, not the process. There are so many kids that need stable homes, and adoption provides this. Open your heart, and your child will find you! A pefect baby girl found us.

Hi Amiee,
My hubby & I had a homestudy done when we adopted our twin boys, about 10 yrs ago. They wanted to know everything! It was a hard process but well worth it in the end! They did want to know our finances and how much room we had, etc. They even told me I had to quit my job and become a stay @ home mom, (which I so didn't mind!) Course we are probablly in different counties, I think each county has a diff opinion. A friend of ours adopted in our neighboring county, and she didnt have to stay home.
I totally think it is wonderful what you are doing! There are so many sibling groups out there that get sepereated and if you are willing to keep them together I think your chances are even greater!
Good luck and best wishes! I will keep my fingers crossed and you'll be in my prayers!
Jenn :)

We adopted a little girl from Guatemala last year. The homestudy process involves a financial portion, criminal background check and letters from friends, co-workers etc. It might be a little different for domestic adoptions. Our SW did come to the house one time before we got our dtr. She met with me and my husband and our son. I think they just want to make sure the house is clean and safe.
Good luck
L.

Congratulations on making this big decision! I have friends that have been adopted and friends that have been through the foster care system. You are going to be giving these children the most wonderful gift you could ever give them.

This is something I would like to do in the future. So reading all the information that you received was great for me too.

Good luck and God's Blessings to you and your family this Holiday Season!

A.,
You asked a variety of questions and I"m not sure which direction you are going. Are you wanting to go into adoption directly or foster to adopt? Two different processes. Within the foster care program, 5 and under have one set of regulations for your home and 6 and over have a different set. So you need to pick your age group. I am a foster parent and we are currently doing the home study to adopt one of our kiddos. Since we already did the classes for foster care, our home study requires many questions about ourselves and our beliefs such as discipline. Must also have a physical done, background check, etc.

Let me know if you have any other questions,
D.

Hi A.-
Congratulations! That is fantastic for you and for your future kids (and present ones too)! We adopted a baby almost 2 years ago now. Initially we found the home study stressful, like we were being judged about everything, but it's not really like that at all. They want to make sure the kids have a safe, loving home, so even though they ask about finances, it's only to make sure you can support the kids, and they are pretty flexible about it. Plus you'll likely get some state/fed support to help them too. The home does not have to be "baby-proof," but you do need to at least be aware of certain things and put them in after you get the kids, depending on the age. They'll ask about major stuff like guns, drugs, make sure no domestic violence issues, then fire alarms, fire extinguishers, CO detectors, fire escape plans, etc. Then they'll just assess your readiness to accept adopted children. Doesn't sound like any of that will be a problem for you! Plus after you have the kids placed with you, there are like 2-3 post-placement visits to make sure everything is going well. Anyhow, best of luck! You guys will do great!

Me and my husband were looking into adoption also but it is costly. The home study was 1200.00 even through the state. And I do believe income does make a difference. The home study consists of visits to your home, background checks, references. Good luch with your adoption hope it works out for you.

I have a friend who just started a non-profit to help families go through adoption. She has helped out many of families answer questions and get them through the process. Please let me know if you would like her name and email address.