Adoption Wise
NUTS & BOLTS OF HOME STUDIES (Continue)
Written by -
Monday, 06 March 2006
Page 2 of 2
Be Open and Honest with your Social Worker:
There probably will be several interviews, perhaps one or two in the agency office and at
least one in your home. You will discuss the topics addressed in your autobiographical
statement, and the social worker will ask any questions necessary to clarify what you have
written. In the case of couples, some agency workers conduct all the interviews jointly, with
husband and wife together. Others will conduct both joint and individual interviews. An
important point: the worker is not visiting your home to conduct a white glove inspection! He
or she simply needs to verify that the child will be entering into a safe and healthy
environment and whether you have thought ahead as to how you are going to
accommodate the new family member. There may be a requirement that you have a
working smoke alarm (which is a good idea anyway) and an evacuation plan in case of an
emergency. The latter is not something many people have, so you might want to develop
one ahead of time. The worker may want to see the child's bedroom and all the other areas
of the house or apartment, including the basement or back yard. Some tips for the home
visit: Do not clean the whole place from top to bottom, unless that is the level of
housekeeping you always maintain. A certain level of cleanliness is necessary, but "lived-
in" family clutter is expected. Most social workers would worry that people living in a "picture
perfect" home would have a difficult time adjusting to the clutter that a child brings to a
household. Instead, use this visit as one more time to build on the open and honest
relationship you are developing with the worker. It is natural to be nervous! But most often
the worker wants to work with you and approve you if you have gotten to this point of the
home study. You are not expected to reveal every intimate detail of your life, nor are you
expected to be perfect! In fact, perfection would probably raise eyebrows. It is much more
important to be honest, be yourself, and present a true picture of your family history and
family functioning. Social workers know that everyone is a combination of strengths and
weaknesses, which makes each person unique. If you had a difficult childhood, experienced
financial problems, quit a job in anger, or have some other "skeleton" in your closet that
you think might disqualify you, chances are, if you discuss it openly with the social worker, it
will not present a problem. It would not be wise to be deceptive or dishonest or for the
documents collected in the home study to expose an inconsistency in what you have
presented about your family. This would betray the social worker's trust, which would harm
your chances and may even cause the termination of your home study.
If you already have children in our home:
If you already have children, either birth children, adopted children, or both, they will be
included in the home study in some way. Older children may be invited to one or more of
the educational sessions. They might also be asked to write a statement describing their
feelings and preferences about having a new brother or sister. Younger children might be
asked to draw a picture showing their thoughts on the subject. Children of all ages will
probably be met and/or interviewed by the social worker at least once. The social worker
may ask the children (and you too) how they do in school, what their interests and hobbies
are, what their friends are like, and how they get rewarded or disciplined for good or not-so-
good behavior. But the emphasis will more likely be on how they see a new child fitting into
the family and whether they are prepared to share you with a new sibling. A new sibling
means sharing time, attention, television channel selection, the bathroom, the prized seat
at the kitchen table, and the many other elements of family life on a daily basis. Children’s
input is usually quite important in the overall assessment of a family's readiness to adopt a
child. Their feelings need to be considered, and their reaction to the adoption needs to be
generally positive. The social worker will want to make sure that a newly adopted child will
be wanted and loved by everyone in the family from the start.
Words of Encouragement:
Flexibility and a sense of humor are vital characteristics when raising children and they can
come in handy during the home study as well. For instance, if you have the flexibility in your
job and are willing to take off an hour early to meet with the social worker or to modify your
schedule in some other way to make the meeting arrangements flow smoothly, that effort
will be appreciated by the worker. As a parent to be, many more of these accommodations
are in your future; therefore the social worker often believes you might as well start getting
used to them!
Home study what are the Fees?:
The cost of the home study depends on which kind of agency or practitioner is conducting
the study. A private agency might charge from $1,000 to $3,000 for the home study,
although it may charge no fees or charge lesser fees for home studies for children with
special needs. For a non-special-needs child, the fee may cover an application fee and pre-
placement services, but be sure to confirm this. For locating a specific child and providing
follow-up or post-placement services, you will usually be charged a separate fee. These
services could possibly be performed by a second agency. Again, be sure to discuss this
thoroughly so that there are no misunderstandings. A certified social worker in private
practice often conducts home studies for independent adoptions. Fees for these are
probably in the same range as those for private agencies. Things to Remember:
Independent adoptions are not legal in all States.
Remember, even though an adoption home study may seem invasive or lengthy, it is
conducted to prepare you for adoption and help you decide whether adoption is really for
you.
The regulations serve to protect the best interest of the child and to ensure he or she is
placed in a loving, caring, healthy, and safe environment. Once you accept that premise, it
often becomes a lot easier to complete what is required of you.
The adoption worker wants you to accomplish your goal of adopting, especially if one more
child gets a loving, permanent, safe family.
Home study Resources:
For a free list of adoption resources in your State, contact the National Adoption
Information Clearinghouse or visit the NAIC web site at
http://www.calib.com/naic/database/nadd/naddsearch.cfm
for State-specific lists of public and private adoption agencies as well as adoptive parent
support groups in your state.
Or contact AdoptionInsight for:
Free Confidential Consulting
Providing Solutions not Judgments
Financial & Relocation Assistance Available
Consultas Confidenciales Gratuitas
Ayuda Financiera y Relocalización
Soluciones Sin Comentario
Timeframe of the Home Study:
On average the home study process takes three to six months to complete, but it can take
longer through public agencies or less time through non-licensed facilitators. The home
study process, the contents of the written home study report, and the time it will take to
complete vary from State to State and from agency to agency.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 06 April 2006 )
<PREVIOUS
Written by -
Monday, 06 March 2006
Page 2 of 2
Be Open and Honest with your Social Worker:
There probably will be several interviews, perhaps one or two in the agency office and at
least one in your home. You will discuss the topics addressed in your autobiographical
statement, and the social worker will ask any questions necessary to clarify what you have
written. In the case of couples, some agency workers conduct all the interviews jointly, with
husband and wife together. Others will conduct both joint and individual interviews. An
important point: the worker is not visiting your home to conduct a white glove inspection! He
or she simply needs to verify that the child will be entering into a safe and healthy
environment and whether you have thought ahead as to how you are going to
accommodate the new family member. There may be a requirement that you have a
working smoke alarm (which is a good idea anyway) and an evacuation plan in case of an
emergency. The latter is not something many people have, so you might want to develop
one ahead of time. The worker may want to see the child's bedroom and all the other areas
of the house or apartment, including the basement or back yard. Some tips for the home
visit: Do not clean the whole place from top to bottom, unless that is the level of
housekeeping you always maintain. A certain level of cleanliness is necessary, but "lived-
in" family clutter is expected. Most social workers would worry that people living in a "picture
perfect" home would have a difficult time adjusting to the clutter that a child brings to a
household. Instead, use this visit as one more time to build on the open and honest
relationship you are developing with the worker. It is natural to be nervous! But most often
the worker wants to work with you and approve you if you have gotten to this point of the
home study. You are not expected to reveal every intimate detail of your life, nor are you
expected to be perfect! In fact, perfection would probably raise eyebrows. It is much more
important to be honest, be yourself, and present a true picture of your family history and
family functioning. Social workers know that everyone is a combination of strengths and
weaknesses, which makes each person unique. If you had a difficult childhood, experienced
financial problems, quit a job in anger, or have some other "skeleton" in your closet that
you think might disqualify you, chances are, if you discuss it openly with the social worker, it
will not present a problem. It would not be wise to be deceptive or dishonest or for the
documents collected in the home study to expose an inconsistency in what you have
presented about your family. This would betray the social worker's trust, which would harm
your chances and may even cause the termination of your home study.
If you already have children in our home:
If you already have children, either birth children, adopted children, or both, they will be
included in the home study in some way. Older children may be invited to one or more of
the educational sessions. They might also be asked to write a statement describing their
feelings and preferences about having a new brother or sister. Younger children might be
asked to draw a picture showing their thoughts on the subject. Children of all ages will
probably be met and/or interviewed by the social worker at least once. The social worker
may ask the children (and you too) how they do in school, what their interests and hobbies
are, what their friends are like, and how they get rewarded or disciplined for good or not-so-
good behavior. But the emphasis will more likely be on how they see a new child fitting into
the family and whether they are prepared to share you with a new sibling. A new sibling
means sharing time, attention, television channel selection, the bathroom, the prized seat
at the kitchen table, and the many other elements of family life on a daily basis. Children’s
input is usually quite important in the overall assessment of a family's readiness to adopt a
child. Their feelings need to be considered, and their reaction to the adoption needs to be
generally positive. The social worker will want to make sure that a newly adopted child will
be wanted and loved by everyone in the family from the start.
Words of Encouragement:
Flexibility and a sense of humor are vital characteristics when raising children and they can
come in handy during the home study as well. For instance, if you have the flexibility in your
job and are willing to take off an hour early to meet with the social worker or to modify your
schedule in some other way to make the meeting arrangements flow smoothly, that effort
will be appreciated by the worker. As a parent to be, many more of these accommodations
are in your future; therefore the social worker often believes you might as well start getting
used to them!
Home study what are the Fees?:
The cost of the home study depends on which kind of agency or practitioner is conducting
the study. A private agency might charge from $1,000 to $3,000 for the home study,
although it may charge no fees or charge lesser fees for home studies for children with
special needs. For a non-special-needs child, the fee may cover an application fee and pre-
placement services, but be sure to confirm this. For locating a specific child and providing
follow-up or post-placement services, you will usually be charged a separate fee. These
services could possibly be performed by a second agency. Again, be sure to discuss this
thoroughly so that there are no misunderstandings. A certified social worker in private
practice often conducts home studies for independent adoptions. Fees for these are
probably in the same range as those for private agencies. Things to Remember:
Independent adoptions are not legal in all States.
Remember, even though an adoption home study may seem invasive or lengthy, it is
conducted to prepare you for adoption and help you decide whether adoption is really for
you.
The regulations serve to protect the best interest of the child and to ensure he or she is
placed in a loving, caring, healthy, and safe environment. Once you accept that premise, it
often becomes a lot easier to complete what is required of you.
The adoption worker wants you to accomplish your goal of adopting, especially if one more
child gets a loving, permanent, safe family.
Home study Resources:
For a free list of adoption resources in your State, contact the National Adoption
Information Clearinghouse or visit the NAIC web site at
http://www.calib.com/naic/database/nadd/naddsearch.cfm
for State-specific lists of public and private adoption agencies as well as adoptive parent
support groups in your state.
Or contact AdoptionInsight for:
Free Confidential Consulting
Providing Solutions not Judgments
Financial & Relocation Assistance Available
Consultas Confidenciales Gratuitas
Ayuda Financiera y Relocalización
Soluciones Sin Comentario
Timeframe of the Home Study:
On average the home study process takes three to six months to complete, but it can take
longer through public agencies or less time through non-licensed facilitators. The home
study process, the contents of the written home study report, and the time it will take to
complete vary from State to State and from agency to agency.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 06 April 2006 )
<PREVIOUS
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