Elements of Adoption Home Study

While adoption home studies vary slightly from agency to agency and state to state, there are several key elements that are almost always included in every home study. These elements stem from requirements of the state in which the adoptive family resides, the type of adoption the adoptive family is pursuing, and the agency conducting the home study.

Home studies are utilized for every adoptive family in the United States whether they are adopting a child domestically or internationally.

There are several key elements that are included in every home study.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY: In most cases adoptive families are asked to complete an autobiography. It is essentially the story of your life, and may include such items as childhood experiences, family relationships, marriage dynamics, infertility experience, employment status, etc.

HEALTH STATEMENT: Health examinations are typically required in order to insure the safety of the child being brought into the home and to establish the physical condition of the adoptive parents. The goals of the health statements are to make sure the family is in good general health, they have normal life expectancies, and they are able to physically and mentally care for a child. If there is an existing medical condition you are not necessarily precluded from adopting a child as long as the condition is not a threat to others and the condition is under a doctor's care and supervision.

BACKGROUND RECORDS CHECK: Most states require that adoptive families undergo some type of criminal and child abuse background records checks. Typically, this is done by submitting a request provided by your adoption professional to the appropriate state or federal agency. In some states, adoptive families may be required to get fingerprinted in order to do a more thorough background check.

Note: Most misdemeanors that occurred in the past will not have an adverse effect on the outcome of the home study, although they will be addressed. Major felony convictions and crimes against children are reasons a home study would not be approved.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: Financial records are required to make sure adoptive families can manage their current finances and insure that adding another family member will not put them in financial peril. Items requested include copies of tax forms, insurance policies, bank statements, mortgage or rent payments, etc.

Note: While there is not necessarily a minimum income that is required to adopt a child, the adoptive family must show they can manage their finances and are able to accept a child into their home without undue financial burden.

CHARACTER REFERENCES: References are provided in order to get an overall picture of an adoptive family. Most references will include employees, personal friends, neighbors, clergy, and family members. For the most part, references are used to assess the adoptive family's desire and fitness to parent a child. As a rule, references are typically not shared with an adoptive family in order to maintain their integrity.

PERSONAL INTERVIEW: In almost all cases one or more interviews will be required with the Social Worker conducting the home study. At least one of these interviews will take place in the home of the adoptive family. The personal interviews are meant to explore the adoptive family's decision to adopt and to make sure their home is adequately prepared to receive a child.

Personal interviews and the home visit are not meant to frighten families, as the social worker is not looking for the perfect home or the perfect couple. They want to establish that the child will enter into a safe environment and the adoptive family is going to be able to comfortably accommodate a new family member.

RELIGION: Affiliation with a specific religious denomination is not a requirement for an adoptive family with adoption, but the subject of religion is usually explored in the home study. Some agencies, however, do have certain religious requirements of their adoptive families. Contact your adoption program for more information. Religious inquiries in the home study are made as to the faith of the family, service attendance, and future religious involvement of the child, specifically when one spouse has a different religious faith than the other. There are occasions when birth parents request families of specific religious denominations.

RACE: This is most often an issue when an adoptive family is adopting a child of a different race. The Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA) prohibits race as a consideration to delay or deny an adoption; however, in the case of interracial adoptions there are certain dynamics that need to be explored in order to fully educate the adoptive family. The home study process discusses issues of race to help the family prepare for the social and cultural issues associated with inter-racial adoptions.