If you have ever wondered about the process adoptive families go through in order to “be approved” for adoption you’ve come to the right place! I have other posts about home studies, but here I just wanted a simple list of questions and answers.  I hope you find it helpful.  Let’s just jump right in…

What is a Home Study?

In short, a home study is a report/document written by a case worker or social worker that says whether or not you can be a parent through adoption.

A home study includes information about your family and marriage, your health, your finances, your home and neighborhood, your criminal history (hopefully you don’t have one), and personal references.  It will cover your feelings on adoption, parenting style, infertility, open adoption, and birth parents.  In some cases, other people are interviewed about your strengths and weaknesses, your interactions with children, and your marriage.

At the end of this extensive process you will have a social worker’s recommendation that you are allowed to adopt.  This is given to the judge when you appear in court to finalize the adoption, so that he has the information he needs to feel confident that the baby will be safe and well cared for in your home and with your family.  It’s INSANELY detailed and INSANELY important!

Who Needs to Get a Home Study?

Everyone! Anyone in the United States wanting to adopt is required to complete a home study.  It doesn’t matter which state you live in, whether or not you are doing domestic or international adoption, or whether you are using an agency or doing a private adoption.  It is 100% legally required for everyone!  Even Angelina Jolie had to complete a home study!

How much Does a Home Study Cost?

This can vary greatly depending on where you live, which agency you are using, and what kind of adoption you are pursuing.  But in the U.S. you will probably pay $500 – $3,000 for a home study.

How Long Does a Home Study Take?

This is, in part, up to you.  It is safe to say that it can take anywhere from 3-6 months to complete a home study.  It can depend on how quickly you can get through all the paper work, how soon your case worker is available for the home inspection, and a variety of other factors.

Who Does the Home Study?

A home study is completed by a social worker/ case worker.  If you are going through an agency, they will usually provide a social worker for you.  If you are doing a private adoption you will be responsible to find your own.  Make sure you find one that has experience with the kind of adoption you are pursuing.  If you are doing international adoption, your social worker must know how to do home studies for your sending country!

Can I Speed up the Process? How?

There are a few things you can do to help speed up the process.

Ask your potential case worker how long they expect the home study to take.  If they have a large work load at the time, don’t return your calls promptly, or seem disorganized, you may want to find a different case worker. Agencies will most likely have more than one case worker working for them, so don’t hesitate to ask for a new one if you are trying to speed up the process.  You can also schedule any appointments (doctor, fingerprints, etc.) you will need and gather all necessary documents early in the process.

Will I get approved?

Over 90% of families who complete a home study are approved! So, you will most likely have no problem!

Can you fail a home study?

It is possible to fail your home study.  I found eight reasons that could cause someone to fail their home study.  Some of them are very obvious while others are more surprising. For more details you can go here, here, and here.

• Felony Conviction – You may fail your home study if you were convicted of felony child abuse or neglect, drug or alcohol abuse, or domestic violence. Remember, you will need background checks, so don’t try to hide anything.  If there were charges brought against you while under age or if the charges were dropped or expunged, it would be best to be open about it.  The “youthful indiscretions” are not usually held against you as long as you don’t lie about them.

• Unsafe Home – If your case worker finds something unsafe about your home during your home inspection you could potentially fail your home study. It would have to be something pretty big and irreversible to fail.  If you are just missing a carbon monoxide detector, you will not fail your home inspection if you will put one up.  You will also need to make sure that you have room in your home for a new baby.  It won’t be good for your home study if your house is already crowded.

• Unstable Home – A few things that could give the impression of an unstable home are that you move too often or are constantly traveling for work. These are not an automatic fail, but it will be up to your case worker.  Part of your home study includes talking about your marriage and relationship.  Often others will be asked to comment on how they view your marriage and relationship.  If there is anything about your marriage or lifestyle that can be considered unstable you may have a more difficult time passing your home study.

• Health Concerns – If there is anything on your medical reports that cause the case worker to be concerned with your parenting ability or your lifespan you may fail your home study. These include things like you or your spouse have a life-threatening illness or disease, or a psychological disorder that impairs the quality of your life.  If you are in therapy or taking medication you will not necessarily fail as long as you have a note from your doctor.  Be honest about any medications you are taking.  Even though it may not seem fair, I can understand why someone might fail their home study if they only had 6 months to live, for example.

• Other Family Members – During your home study, every adult who lives in your home is involved and must have a criminal back ground check. If there is some one “questionable” living with you, you may face some roadblocks before passing your home study.

• Financial Issues – You are asked to provide detailed information about your finances during the home study process. You definitely don’t need to be rich to pass, you just need to show that you are capable of providing financial security for your child.   If you feel that you may have a hard time with this aspect, research the various adoption benefits, loans, credits and other assistance that is available.

• Being Uncooperative – The home study process is very personal and very invasive. You are asked to share very private details of your life, home, marriage, etc.  If you are difficult to work with or lose your temper, this could possibly reflect your parenting capabilities and your case worker may not approve you for adoption.  They are just doing their job, so be patient with them and the process.

• Dishonesty – Just be honest! Your case worker is trying approve you for adoption, not find reasons to fail you.  If you are honest they will most likely advocate on your behalf and not throw you under the bus.  Don’t try to hide anything that will just turn up on your back ground check, medical forms, or financial forms.  The truth will be found and you will fail for lying.

What if the child is born in another state?

You must comply with the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC)  if you child is born in another state.  This includes asking for permission from the sending state’s ICPC office, which your case worker or attorney will do for you.  Once they grant you permission, you will be contacted and you may take your baby home.  This usually only takes somewhere from a few days to a few weeks.

I don’t personally have experience adopting from another state, but I have heard of agencies bringing the expectant mom to your state to deliver the baby.  There will be many pros and cons in this situation, and I recommend that you talk to your agency and/or attorney to learn the ethical and legal ramifications before pursuing this route.

Do I need a home study for international adoption?

Yes, you absolutely do! If you are working with an international adoption agency, they will make sure that you complete the proper home study for your sending country.  Some countries require quite a bit more information than others, so be ready for a longer process.

What is a Dossier?

A dossier is a collection of documents that is sent to the government of the sending country for an international adoption.  Some people don’t begin preparing their dossier until their home study is complete, but I recommend doing it alongside of your home study.  The reason for this is because you will need many of the same documents in both the dossier and home study.

Who sees my home study?

You should ask your social worker about confidentiality.  But, for sure, your social worker and the judge will both know everything on your home study.  There is also a good chance it will be shared among other social workers and agencies who are trying to match a child with your family.  In some cases, birth parents may have the information from your home study shared with them.

What happens after placement? After finalization?

After placement, and before finalization, your case worker will visit your home to “check in” on you and your baby.  The purpose for these visits is so that they can testify on your behalf in court during finalization.  They will tell the judge they have been to your home and made sure the baby is safe and happy.  They will also make sure that you are bonding well with your baby and that you are growing together as a family.  In Utah, the number of visits after placement depend on the judge you are assigned.  Some only require one post-placement visit, while others prefer two or three.

After finalization, you are usually left alone.  The US government will no longer require home visits.  However, for international adoptions, some sending countries may have their own requirements.  You, or your case worker, may need to prepare and send reports which are used to reassure foreign governments that adoptees are not being used as organ donors or slaves.

I also learned that, “Several countries have stopped or slowed adoption to the US because post-placement reports were not sent as promised.”  It is necessary to comply with the sending country’s wishes so that the entire program doesn’t get shut down!

When will the Adoption be Final?

There are a few major steps that must happen in order for your adoption to be finalized.  The first is that the birth parents must terminate their parental rights and sign their consent to the adoption.  Each state has differing laws on when this step can occur.  Your case worker or attorney will know the specifics for you state and sending state or country.

You must wait until the consent is irrevocable and then apply to your local court for a finalization.  Again, the waiting period and type of court is different for each state.

If you’re adopting from foster care or doing an international adoption, there may be different steps and rules to follow before finalization can occur.

The last step is the actual court appearance.  Your family will appear before the judge who will legally recognize you as a family.  A new birth certificate will be issued showing you and your spouse as the parents.

In Utah, for example, birth parents must wait 24 hours after the birth of the baby before they can sign away their parental rights and approve the adoption.  Once they sign those papers the consent is irrevocable and you can apply for finalization.  Your court appearance and finalization are scheduled for six months after the baby is placed in your home.

Again, that is very specific to Utah and every state have extremely different laws for adoption.  There are some states that let the birth parents change their mind up to two weeks after signing the papers.  Your attorney and case worker will both be able to tell you the specifics for your state.

I am happy to answer any other questions you may have about the home study process.  Just leave me some comments or feel free to email me!

Thank you my lovely friends!