What Is an Adoption Home Study?

If you are just beginning the domestic adoption process, one of the first things you will hear about is your home study. For a lot of families, this can feel a little intimidating at first. Someone is coming into your home, asking questions, reviewing paperwork, and helping determine whether you are approved to adopt.

The good news is that they are not looking for perfect parents. They are also not looking for a sanitized, freshly spring-cleaned, or a perfectly curated home. I can assure you there will not be any white gloves used in the process, checking your baseboards or window blinds for accumulated dust.

So, what is an adoption home study, and what are they actually looking for? I’ll answer those questions and more below.

A home study is the process that prepares and approves a family to adopt. Every state and provider can have slightly different requirements, but most home studies include things like:

Personal interviews
Background checks and clearances
Financial information
Medical information
References
Paperwork
Visits to your home
Adoption education and training

Your home study provider will walk you through each of these steps and let you know exactly what is needed along the way.

What Are They Looking for During a Home Study?

This is one of the biggest questions I hear from families. The goal is to make sure you can provide a safe and loving home for a child, that you are prepared for adoption, and that you meet your state’s requirements to become an approved hopeful adoptive family. One thing I always remind families is that the home study is not just about checking boxes. It is also a really important part of preparing you for the adoption process.

Can I Just Pick a Home Study Provider Online?

You can, but I don’t recommend it. Your home study is one of the most important pieces of the adoption process, so choosing an experienced provider matters. Families working with us here at Christian Adoption Consultants receive a list of recommended home study providers. That way, they can feel confident knowing they are working with an adoption professional who understands the intricacies of the adoption process. Depending on your state and the professionals you are working with, there will also be specific requirements your home study provider needs to meet.

My Home Study Is Complete. Now What?

Once your home study is complete, you are able to move on to the next phase of the adoption process. For CAC families, that means applying with agencies through our multi-agency approach and beginning to review adoption opportunities. Families working with one adoption agency can typically move onto that agency’s active waiting-family list. This is a really exciting step because your home study is one of the first big pieces of the process to complete.

Feeling Overwhelmed by the Adoption Process?

That is completely understandable! There is a lot of information to take in when you are first beginning adoption, and you do not need to figure everything out at once. My goal is always to help families understand each step as they come to it so the process feels a little less overwhelming and a lot more manageable.

Thinking about adoption? I’d love to help. Fill out the short form here to receive my free adoption information packet and get access to my online adoption library with 20+ posts and videos that walk you through the process. You’ll also have the opportunity to schedule a free 30-minute call where we can talk through your questions and what this journey could look like for your family.