What is a home study?A home study is a process of education and evaluation that helps determine if a family is ready to adopt. Home studies are conducted by a social worker licensed in a family’s state of residence.Requirements for home studies vary by state but generally include in-depth interviews with prospective adoptive parent(s) and at least one visit to the home. Interviews will cover prospective adoptive parent(s)' motivation to adopt, personal and family backgrounds, views on child rearing, and preparation for international adoption. During the home study process, social workers help prospective adoptive families by providing information and resources according to the families’ needs. Upon the completion of interviews, visit(s), and adoption education, the social worker submits a written report to the adoption agency and makes a recommendation. For Oregon residents:
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What is unique about international home studies?International home studies must meet three sets of requirements: the requirements of the prospective adoptive parent(s)' state of residence, the requirements of the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the requirements of the country the prospective adoptive parent(s) are adopting from.How do I pick a home study agency?Your adoption agency may be your home study agency or you many work with a separate home study agency. You will need to work with an agency licensed to do home studies in your state. To obtain a list of agencies licensed to do home studies in your state, you can call your state’s Department of Human Services.You will want to ask some preliminary questions when selecting a home study agency such as costs and timeframes for completion of a home study. It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the agency’s philosophy on issues that are important to you. Depending on the family this may include issues such as bringing home a child that is older than existing children in the home, simultaneous adoption of more than one non-biologically related child, or other issues. If you have special circumstances for your adoption, make sure you discuss them with a social worker before you select a home study agency.  |
