Adoption Home Study?

Question

My husband and I are going through the adoption process and our next step is the home study, I want to make sure everything goes smoothly. We have a room ready for a child, plastic covers on all the light switches, those child safety things on the cabinets, and all cleaners and chemicals are locked away. What else should I do? I want everything to go as smoothly as possible

Answer 1

Joslin hit the nail on the head with her answer.  Our home study was more than just making sure our home was safe, although a "walk-through" was included.  It was more of an "interview" to make sure that we were ready and able to adopt.  

Good luck to you.

Answer 2

Sounds like you have the childproofing down.  The home study is designed to look at your house, but it is more to get to know you in your natural surroundings.  

The best thing you can do is relax and just be yourself, be honest and open to asking and answering questions.  Preparing your home is the easy part, preparing for a child is another.  

(BTW, on the child proofing side, smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher is something that the case worker may check . . . ours did, the other child proofing won't come into play for a long time, especially if you're looking to adopt a newborn.)

It can feel very odd having someone coming into your home, and not knowing just what they are looking for.  They want to see you and your husband at home.  They want to see that you are a loving couple and that you are prepared to adopt and open to the challenges that can come.

Good luck!!

Answer 3

Smoke detectors on every floor of the house, and a corbon monoxide detector.

They also sometimes like medication in a lockbox as well, depends on your social worker.  Oh and bake cookies ;0)

Answer 4

Adopted children need a great deal more than a clean and safe house.  They need safe parents.

Read.

Read everything on this site: http://www.alice-miller.com/

Especially this one: http://www.alice-miller.com/interviews_e...

Answer 5

RELAX

They are only going to do a walk through to see your floor plan. They don't "white glove test" your home during a home study. They will talk to you about your marriage, family, income, why you're adopting, your health etc.. They want a total picture of you as a person and a couple. You will also have to do a criminal background check as part of your study.

Your homestudy will be done to include you, your spouse, children living in the home who are old enough to speak up and say on their own either in drawings, writing or talking, any nannies or help you have regularly around the house and any family members you have living with you (like a grandparent for example).  Those people may also be asked to submit to a background check.

When they walk through your home they are looking to see if you actually have room for a child in your home (or an additional child) without putting strain on your family and that will be a safe environment. They will be more concerned to see wires and cords sticking out from TV's, computers, etc.. than whether your light switches are covered just yet.. :)

Answer 6

This is a detailed outline of the homestudy:

1.  MOTIVATION TO ADOPT

 Discuss infertility causes and treatment

 Emotional issues surrounding infertility, progress or resolution of those issues

 How/when family chose adoption and why

 Do they plan on continuing infertility treatments

2.  ADOPTING PARENTS’ OWN CHILDHOOD

 Discuss where and how they were raised

 Discuss parents, grandparents, siblings –personalities

 Family strengths and weaknesses

 Quality of relationships with each family member then and now

 General family dynamics

 Discipline

 Any divorces/deaths in family

 Religious practices, family activities

 Family problems (alcoholism, loss of job)

 Fondest childhood/family memories

3.  ATTITUDE OF EXTENDED FAMILY TOWARD ADOPTION

 Fully discuss reactions, responses, plans, support and attitudes.

4.  HOME AND COMMUNITY

 Describe nursery

 Overall home décor and standards

 Gun safety

 Water safety

 Home safety, smoke alarms

 Pet safety/proof of up to date vaccinations

 Emergency medical accessibility

 Cultural and educational accessibility

 Child proofing/plans - stairs, outside safety, yard play area

 Community Ethnic/racial make-up

 General community description and standards

5.  MARRIAGE

 Date, and by whom

 Dating history with each other

 Previous committed relationships

 Prior living together

 Previous marriages and dynamics

 Prior divorces and dynamics

 Any marriage counseling/issues and resolution

 Any past or present domestic abuse

 How does this family handle conflict and disagreements?

 What qualities are admired in each other?

 What are each parent’s areas of strength, areas needing more work

 Hobbies/activities - separate and together

 Direct observation of Marriage Licenses and Divorce Decrees

  

6.  CHILDREN

 Children, biological or through adoption

 With whom

 Race and age

 Relationship with

 Financial support of

 Who they live with

 Attitudes of children toward this adoption

 Activities and personality of each child

 Any foster care, parenting or babysitting experience

 Direct observations of each child living in the home

 Their observed relationship with each parent

 Any observed parenting skills

 Document Birth Certificates

 Prior adoption experience, date, agency

7.  DISCIPLINE/CHILD REARING

 Fully discuss discipline practices, be specific regarding the use of physical discipline

 Must document discussion regarding Texas law prohibiting any use of corporal punishment

 Parent’s agreement to never use physical punishment with a child who has come home though foster care or adoption

 Describe safety issues - car seats, stairs, pool, supervision

 Describe use of praise

 Plans for education

 Fully describe child care plan; if not parent, state name, location and credentials of caregiver

 Discuss how each parent plans on parenting in relation to their own parents’ style: differences, similarities  

8.  EXPECTATION OF AND PLANS FOR THIS CHILD/REN

 What does this family hope this child will be like: physically, mentally, emotionally, medically

 Do they have same expectations of a biological child?

 How will they deal with a child not meeting these expectations?

 Specific plan for helping child understand adoption

 How will they share information about birth family with child?

 How will they protect child from possible harmful information about birth family?

 Who will they share this info with?

 What kind of adoption language do they use/plan on using?

 Document discussion regarding positive adoption language with examples

 How is this child different from a biological child

  

9.  SENSITIVITY TO AND FEELING ABOUT CHILD’S RACE, ETHNICITY,

     CULTURAL IDENTITY

 Discuss exposure to and acceptance of various socioeconomic groups, ethnic groups, cultural groups

 How does family feel about their ability to provide a stable home for this child when the birth family cannot?

 Address extended family members, friends’ exposure to, and demonstrated acceptance of, different racial, cultural, socioeconomic groups

 How does their neighborhood and community reflect acceptance of these differences?  What exposure to support groups, counseling, other families, or books do they have regarding these issues?

 How do they specifically plan to honor their child’s birth culture?

 What can they do now to start this process?

10.  SENSITIVITY TOWARD BIRTH FAMILY

 How do the parents feel about someone who places their child for adoption?

 Could they do this?  Why/why not?

 What do they want in terms of meeting, contact, and on-going contact with the Birthmother?

 Birthfather?

 How long do they want this to last?

 What specific forms of contact do they want?

 Which kinds are they open to? (Meetings, phone calls, e-mail, photos, videos, letters?  What are they not willing to do?)

11.  COUNSELING/EMOTIONAL HEALTH

 Discuss issues/history with substance abuse, alcohol use

 Prior counseling of any kind, mental health, marriage, AA, etc.

 Domestic abuse

 Childhood abuse of any kind – mental, physical, sexual

 Include full discussion of dates, treatments, and resolution

 Discuss conflicts/emotional issues in any prior relationships, marriages; divorces, or deaths of spouses

 Discuss criminal background check, any arrests, even if misdemeanor

 Proof of criminal background check and date

 Discuss child abuse and neglect checks, including unfounded allegations  (including prior state if resident less that 5 years)

 Proof of child abuse check and date

12.  HEALTH STATUS

 Describe observed physical, mental, and emotional health of every member in household.  Describe documentation of same

 Letter from physician discussing tobacco use, alcohol use, prescription use, drug use, recent physical exam results

 Letter must state that family is free of communicable diseases, and parents have normal life expectancy

 Does either use tobacco?  Drink?

 Any substance or alcohol abuse, physical, sexual, or mental abuse, or health concerns must be noted and discussed

 Proof of medical insurance type, source, and effective date of coverage for this child

13. EDUCATION/EMPLOYMENT

 Starting with high school, describe education, location, dates, courses, degrees

 Describe employment history, including dates, locations and salaries

 Describe current position, hire date, hours, salary, location, responsibilities

 Describe possibility of job changes/education in future and reason

 Document Letter of Employment

14.  FINANCES

 Describe monthly income of each parent from any source

 List total combined, yearly family income

 Describe all debts and payments, including mortgage, car, child support, etc.

 List and observe bank balance, savings, retirement

 Describe family’s overall ability to manage debt and expenses

 Has family ever filed bankruptcy?

 Observe and describe previous years Tax Return

 Discuss expected adoption costs and how family will cover this amount.  

15. CHILD QUALIFIED TO ADOPT

 Has this family ever had a prior homestudy done for any reason, including foster care?  Have they ever been turned down on a homestudy or for foster care?

 Describe number of children, age, race/ethnicity of child this family is qualified to adopt and why

 Describe situations regarding health this family is not qualified for

 Describe situations regarding Birth Mother/Birth Father this family is not qualified for

Answer 7

Just be yourself. Have a loving heart, the intimacy will spread. You cannot hide goodness. Fakes can be seen.