What to expect from a home visit?

Question

We are starting the process for an international adoption. Part of this is a home visit with a social worker. I am wondering what I can expect from this. Is it somewhat informal where they check out our home to make sure it is clean and safe or it is more in depth. Should we do some home improvement projects (i.e. paint the bedroom, clean up the landscaping, etc.). If it helps we are going through All of God's Children. Any information on the process would be helpful.

Answer 1

what I was told was the first part of the home study is a sit down talk with the worker in her office, then she comes to your home (she will see when a good time will fit your schedule) and walks from room to room looking for cleanliness and safety then see if you have space where the child will sleep play etc. you will not have to put locks on cabinets ,covers on outlets, and gates up to stairs or doors for the inspection day. you don't even have to have the room set up during this faze. they are just looking to see if you have all the basics and your home is clean and sanitary.

Answer 2

Hi! I don't have any good advice, however you might check out www.hannahsprayer.org - it is a Christian Infertility support group and there's several people who have adopted internationally on there.

((HUGS))

Answer 3

They will want to see the babies room and where the child is sleeping and the food clothes, and diapers fort the child and what your house looks like if it is clean and if it looks like a child lives there and if u are happy with the baby and how the child interacts with u and stuff like that and just a little warning they tell u a time and show up 2 hours earlier then what they told u so be prepared...

Answer 4

Our Home Visit was very informal.  The adoption worker spoke with both my husband and I about things, and then basically went through our home to insure that we had room for the child and that it was a "safe" home.  She made recommendations - such as a baby gate for the steps, etc., but we weren't required to have any of that until the child came home.  

Good luck to you.

Answer 5

The home study is probably informal and there's no reason for you to consider doing home improvement projects just to get ready for it. Relax and go that stuff when you get around to it. The soical worker wants to get to know you a little bit and make sure that you are going into the adoption process with the right attitude (open to adopting a child!) and the accomodations necessary to raise the child. We're talking basics -- somewhere for the baby to sleep (the room certainly isn't expected to be furnished yet) and a clean, safe looking environment in general. She will probably ask you questions about what you're anticipating and how you're feeling and what your home life is like. In general, she wants to make sure you're fit to be a parent. There are no trick questions and she's not trying to disapprove of you. Be yourself and ask her any questions you may have. It should be pretty simple and casual. Good luck!

Answer 6

My husband and I have had a few home visits as we are preparing to do foster care, in fact we are just awaiting the official document! hahaha So congrats this is an exciting time, but dont worry it will be around for awhile as this is a long process......my advice DO NOT STRESS out, My husband and I cleaned and cleaned and I have to say I was a little sad she seemed to barely notice the sparkling mirrors and crip clean bed linens.  We were actually in the middle of remodling the nursery and hallway and stairs when she came the first time.  We thought we would have to explain and explain but she hardly noticed there was no carpet and it smelled of paint and primer.  Clean your house like you would if you were having a party, all your best friends coming over.  I dont know the age you are hoping to adopt, but we did minor baby proofing, DO make sure your house is up to fire code as far as detecors and extingishers go.  Any guns..get rid of them or have the saftey locks on and up high!  She did ask alot of those questions.  But be prepared to answer alot of questions...about you and your spouse, best qualities, worst.  Your childhood, your parents and their tecniques, ect.  Make sure if you have kids they are comfortablet answering the questions too....what they like most about your family how they feel about the process...Good luck and congrats

Answer 7

It really depends on the social worker you get.  It can be as simple as asking you a few questions and measuring your house (to see how many children you can have at one time) to more in depth (like we had) where they will make sure you have fire extinguishers / beds / food / etc.  It's really not that bad, they basically just want to make sure that the home is safe and quote un quote "you don't have drug paraphanlia laying around".  GOOD LUCK!  Fostering / Adoption will give you a whole other outlook on life and it's a wonderful thing!

Answer 8

Don't worry about doing home improvement or cleaning the landscaping...or even deep cleaning your house.  

Let me go over what a home visit is NOT first of all.  They don't come in with white gloves to see if there is dust or if you have cobwebs in a corner.  They won't check in every dark corner of the house to make sure you're an immaculate housekeeper.  They're not there to scrutinize your every move and every detail of your home.

We had some visits when we adopted internationally & then a couple others when we became foster parents.

They came in, we took them on a brief tour (they were checking for safety not for cleanliness unless we were horribly unclean folks) of the house.  They did check for some items like fire extinguishers & smoke detectors.  

After they looked around the house (and outside to see if there are any safety hazards like pools that aren't fenced), we sat down and talked.  They looked through our autobiography & asked some clarifying questions if something wasn't totally clear to them.  They asked us about discipline practices, they asked us about our relationship & how we handle stress and disagreements.  They asked us about our family backgrounds (how our parents handled disagreements, etc.).  Just stuff like that.

For the most part a social worker would be looking for reasons to select you in rather than for reasons to select you out of the process.

Relax, be yourself.  Don't obsess about your house...I think it would raise more issues to have an immaculate house than to have one that looks like people live and are comfortable there.

Answer 9

The information varies a little bit country to country and agency to agency.  But with over 20 years in adoption work, and having approved over 400 families to adopt, I can tell you what we looked for. Many of these requirements are set in stone in our state, as they are with every state. And then the agency approving you will also have their own requirements -- some may have "Christian only" or "No smoking" reqirments, for example. But the basic requirements are as follows:

Job and job history - stable employment history

Salary - decent stable salary reflected on your tax returns, pay stubs and employment letters

Taxes - good history of completing verifiable tax returns

Marriages - usually look at number (less than three is preferable!) and length of current marriage (usually 3+ years)

Divorces - will need copies of the decrees, and names of exes, as well as explanation of reason for divorce

Children - children will be interviewed, even if live with you part time or if they are grown

References - must have personal and professional (therapist, rabbi, teacher) references who have known you both for 5+ years ideally

Medical - letters from doc stating no communicable or catastrophic ilnesses/diseases, and state that you are mentally/emotionally and physically stable

Mental - stability

Abuse history - from childhood on up, history and how you have resolved or coped with it

Arrests - if you have one, why and when, with details, and resolution, verified by criminal and child abuse background checks in all states where you have lived

Income - must be sufficient to more than just pay all bills and expenses, and not be in debt or bankruptcy

Pets - must be child friendly and up on all vaccinations and healthy

Home - must have a "home" -- not just a house -- can be an apartment or house, but needs to be organized, warm and child friendly and safe

Cars - do not have to be new, but need to be safe and dependable with approved car seats

Friends/neighbors - appropriate, not partiers and moochers

Family - need to be enthusiastic about the adoption for the sake of the child!

Counseling - history of marriage counseling and resolution, as well as mental health counseling and therapist's names and reports

Alcohol and drugs - no drug use and alcohol in strict moderation, and if have history of addictions, must have proof of resolution

Lifestyle - generally fit and appropriate for children, such as not a "clubber" or partier, no risky habits

Hobbies - what you do with your spare time

Religion/Spirituality - do not have to attend church unless the specific agency reqires it, and some birthmothers want only a certian religion or practice or the absence of it

Motivation to adopt - why and history of desire to adopt

History with children - caring for nieces/nephews or friend's children, or volunteer work documnted

Childhood - everything from your birth on up, such as family activites, discipline, parental roles, discipline, etc.

Family of origin - how close are you now and how often do you stay in contact, etc.

Marriage - stability and strengths and weaknesses, duration, usually at least 3 years

s*x life - normal, agreeable to both (indication of stability)

Exes - why ex relationships ended

Attitudes toward birthparents - caring, open, appreciative or want nothing to do with her (indication of attitude towards child as well)

Attitudes towards people of different socio-economic status - general attitudes reflect how you may see child, or birth parents

Attitudes about continuing contact with birthmother - open, semi open or closed -- most agencies will not work with families who want a closed adoption as this is not in the best interest of the child

Expectations of child - are the expectations realistic or not, such as must be bright and look like us (argh)

Health Insurance - must have adequate medical insurance for the child, as well as for selves

ETC.!! Good luck to you!!

Answer 10

A home visit is not so much about the home as it is about your family. It is usually informal and is more of an interview than an "inspection". You should definitely keep the house neat and tidy, but don't make it look like you've prepared for the queen to visit, because they'll know you don't actually live that way. The visit will be a sit-down with the social worker, who will ask you questions together and separately (and who will interview any children you may have now). They want to know who you are, what you've been through, why you want a child, and what kind of parent you'll be. The most important part is BE HONEST! Don't try to be who you think they want - be who you are - they can tell the difference. Good luck!!

Answer 11

Your home should be clean but not sterile or "fake" clean. They want to know it is safe, so be sure to have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

Mostly they talk to you, our home visit was the main "interview" where we went over our written biographies, discussed our expectations etc.