| How
will you conduct my home study after I commission you
to do it? |
| We
have discovered that the easiest and most comfortable
way to start the home study is to mail you and your
spouse a questionnaire to fill out in the privacy of
your home before your initial meeting with us. After
the questionnaire has been completed you will schedule
an appointment in our office to meet with our licensed
social worker for a joint session, then you will each
have a individual session. The next step is to
schedule a session to be conducted in your home. At
this time, we will meet with you, your spouse and
others that reside with you on a permanent basis. In
the case of other children already in the family, we
will meet with them in private session at this time,
also. |
| . |
| What
will we need to bring to Home Study Specialists when
we come in for our meetings? |
| We
are required to collect copies of several documents
from you when we conduct your home study. You will
need a copy of your birth certificates, marriage
license or certificate, divorce decree(s) (if
applicable), driver's licenses, copies of check stubs
for income verification, a W-4 form or income tax form
(1040 or 1040EZ), a financial statement and names,
addresses and phone numbers of four references. |
| . |
| Do
I need to be wealthy to adopt a child? |
| No,
but the agency or court will want to know that the
child will be coming to a family that manages its
finances responsibly and adequately. |
| . |
| What
kind of questions will I be asked during my
interviews? |
| We
will ask you for an autobiography which will include
information about your family, your successes or
failures in life, your educational background, your
employment status and history. We will discuss your
marriage, your ordinary daily routines and hobbies or
interests. A few "what if" questions
regarding discipline and parenting issues will be
included as well as some adoption-related issues. Even
though you may not have all the answers right away,
our social worker will offer guidance and advice on
describing these various topics. You are not in this
alone, Home Study Specialists are here to
assist you and guide you each step of the way. |
| . |
| What
will you do when you come to my home? |
| Well,
first of all, we will not be visiting your home
to conduct a white glove inspection! We will be there
to verify that the child will be in a safe, healthy
environment. We want to see if you have thought ahead
as to how you are going to accommodate a new member to
your family. We will want to see the child's bedroom
and other areas of your home including the back yard.
We will not look in cabinets, refrigerator or closets.
If you're nervous, relax. We don't expect you to be
perfect. We will be in your home to work with you. We
would much rather see a nurturing, family oriented,
safe home then glossy magazine picture perfection. |
| . |
| How
should I handle those "skeletons" in my
closet? |
| Again,
we do not expect you to have lived a perfect life. A
difficult childhood, past financial difficulties or
quitting a job in anger are not disqualifiers. |
| . |
| How
long will my home study take to be completed? |
| This
depends on various factors, of course, but in normal
circumstances we can have the completed home study in
your hands in 30 days or less. A couple of things that
could extend that time frame would be waiting for
documentation from another state and the time it takes
you to gather the required documents. We suggest you
have your required documents ready before your first
visit with Home Study Specialists to expedite
the process. |
