The Home Study or Assessment Process

"A homestudy is a mutual assessment that involves a state-certified, specially trained assessor and the family or individual who is considering adoption. The homestudy process, sometimes called the assessment process, is an exploration of the family's or individual's history, characteristics, and strengths that will lead to successful adoptive placement. At the completion of the homestudy process, the assessor and the potential adopter should jointly arrive at a decision as to the readiness of the potential adopter and the characteristics of the children most appropriate to the adoptive parent's skills and strengths.

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A homestudy is a process of education and self-evaluation. It is a time for you to look at your readiness and the special gifts and abilities you have to offer an adopted child. It is an opportunity to look at yourself and your support system, explore beliefs, attitudes, opinions, self-image, goals, achievements, and coping skills. Examining your motivation to adopt is also important. If infertility has been an issue, examining how this will impact expectations regarding an adopted child and/or parenting is crucial. In all families, especially those where infertility has been an issue, it is important that all members of the family, often including extended family, be involved in discussion. Adoption will impact all future generations of the family and extended family may have thoughts and feelings to share about this. It is better to discuss these up front than to be surprised after the placement has occurred. The homestudy process is also a time for you to learn more about the types of children needing adoptive placement and about the joys and challenges of adoptive parenting. All agencies licensed in Indiana have certified staff trained to help you to educate and prepare yourself and your support system and to help you evaluate what child or children will be a good match with you.

Completing a homestudy requires time, thought, energy and paperwork. Some people may approach the homestudy with anxiety. It is important to remember that the homestudy is designed to be a tool for both you and the assessor to identify strengths and vulnerabilities that will affect you and the child in the months and years after placement has occurred. Openness and honesty by both you and your assessor are needed to assure that the final decision will be one that you can feel good about, in both the short and long run.

While it is the adoption assessor's responsibility to make sure the children placed with you are safe, it is also the assessor's responsibility to make sure you have the information you need to make good decisions about adoption. If there are existing conditions that may present a challenge to you adopting a child right now, your assessor will suggest ways to resolve this challenge. Remember that you and the assessor are focused on the best interest of your future child and on a successful parenting experience for you.

In general, qualities in applicants that have been found to lead to successful adoptions are: a sense of humor, flexibility, good coping skills, good communication skills, non-judgmental attitude, and experience with children. Persons who later feel good about their decision to adopt are usually those who enjoy being with children, like adventure, have a good support system, can use community resources appropriately, and have a history of surviving and/or solving life's problems.

In the past, some adoption agencies felt that a large income, the ownership and location of the home, a "good" job, marital status, perfect health, and physical appearance were the most important factors to look for in adoptive parents. However, these factors are now considered to be much less important than being mature and possessing good parenting and life skills.
Each state has guidelines for agencies to follow and each agency may add to the guidelines depending on its own policies and procedures.

The Homestudy includes:

1) Education/Preparation. You will be asked to participate in educational sessions which will give an overview of the similarities and differences in adoption from the adoptive parent's point of view, as well as through the eyes of the child. Child needs associated with a variety of prenatal or genetic influences will be discussed, along with parenting skills needed to address these needs. Child separation and loss issues will be discussed. Special issues that may be a factor with children who have experienced abuse or neglect may also be included. If adopting transculturally, the short- and long-term issues surrounding this decision will be explored. This education may include one-on-one sessions with your counselor or social worker, group exercises in a classroom setting, reading articles, meeting with others who have adopted, or "field trips" into the community, such as to a speech and hearing clinic to discover resources for a child who may be hearing impaired or to a school setting to observe children with attention deficit disorder (ADD).

2) Personal History. In order to help you look at how past experiences may affect your adoption experience, you will be asked to provide in writing or through an interview information describing the family in which you grew up, how you were disciplined as a child, educational experiences, life experiences, your successes and history of coping with problems. You may also be asked to describe your experiences with children, and your relationships with friends and co-workers. If married, you may be asked to describe your relationship with your spouse, how you met, what attracted you to each other, and how you resolve conflicts within your relationship. A description of your lifestyle and current relationships with extended family members may also be requested. Your fundamental values and beliefs will probably be discussed. Looking at these things should help you figure out the types of people with whom you best relate/connect, as well as yielding information about your communication and problem-solving styles. These are important issues for you to consider in making your adoption decisions.

3) Home. The adoption assessor must be assured your home meets basic health and safety standards. This is not a "white glove test" and no one will be checking to see if you cleaned behind the refrigerator. Usually as long as your home is safe for you to live in, it will meet the needs of an adopted child or children. A basic safety audit and a fire inspection are standard parts of the process.

4) Family Income. You will be asked to submit evidence of the stability of your income. You do need to document that your income is able to meet your own basic needs. Remember, ongoing, monthly financial assistance may be available to make it possible for you to add one or more children currently in need of adoptive families.

5) Documentation of Identity/Status. You will be asked to submit proof of your identity and legal status. Depending on the type of adoption, you will be asked to supply one or more of the following: copies of your birth certificate, citizenship documentation, marriage license, divorce decree, and other legal papers pertaining to your current legal status.

6) Employment status. You will be asked about your employment history. Employment status and stresses may impact positively or be a challenge in parenting some types of children. If you are employed, verification will be needed.

7) Health. The adopting person needs to be physically able to meet or arrange for a child's basic needs. Each member of your home will need a physical and for the dossier you will need lab work. You will be requested to provide a physician's statement or forms for your physician to complete stating that you are physically and to the best of his knowledge capable of raising adopted children.

8) Police/Criminal Record Check. In order to protect children, the state requires a background check to identify individuals who have hurt children or who have been convicted of certain extremely serious and violent crimes. As part of this record check, the state requires a fingerprint check. Your adoption assessor will assist you with this.

9.) References. You will be asked to provide the names, addresses and phone numbers of at least five individuals (non-relatives) who can speak to your character and your experience with children.

The length of time for the completion of a homestudy varies from individual to individual. Your decisions involved in the process shouldn't be rushed, and often references, fire inspections and background checks, etc., take time to gather. You may need to explore community resources and talk with support group members in order to make sure you are comfortable with your choices. The cost of the homestudy process will vary from agency to agency or even homestudy to homestudy. If you choose a private agency to complete a special needs homestudy, part or all of the cost may be waived and/or you may be able to be reimbursed for most, or all, of the cost through a subsidy once the adoption is finalized. Adoption support group members or other individuals who have already adopted should be able to help you estimate what costs you are likely to experience and what possible financial supports are available.
Sometimes, during the homestudy process, an applicant will decide that adoption is not for them or that the timing is wrong. Others will find out exciting things about themselves and their ability to care for and nurture children. The homestudy process can often result in a lot of personal growth and self-understanding. In any case, the homestudy is time well spent. Your future and the future of a child or children depend on it.

Don't worry no one is perfect! The homestudy process is designed to help you become aware of the behaviors and issues you are willing to live with."

Reference

ODJFS http://www.state.oh.us/odjfs/oapl/bk04.htm