Adoption Moment - What is a Home Study?

Educational Adoption Moment #1 So, you may be asking, what exactly is involved in the international adoption process (I believe that Domestic Adoptions are pretty similar too.) Well, let us share the process in a nutshell: Research Countries / Programs (We needed to find a country that allowed for one divorce, older parents, not a super long wait until the child came home, not huge in-country stays for both parents, find a country that allows the adoption of the age range of child you are interested in adopting, one that was financially feasible, etc.) Research what Adoption Agencies work in those countries that we had interest in. Then Research each Agency. Read their reviews. Speak with families that have worked with the Agencies. Dive into their processes, support, fee structure, relationships in country, children available through that agency, etc. Send out for the Agencies Adoption materials. Meet with the Agency Coordinators either in person, on the phone or via email. Pray. Sign the application to commit to work with the Agency. Start the Paper Chase - This is when us Adoptive Parents say that we are 'Paper Pregnant!!' Ahhhhhhh and now the beloved paperwork starts. If only every person that got pregnant had to go through these next steps, it would sure change our world! So, what is a Home Study??? A Home Study is a HUGE packet of paperwork that basically exposes every little thing about your background to your agency & your child's country. SO, if you think that 'what you did in your 20s doesn't matter................' Not so much! It does, and it matters a lot! First things first, we meet with our Social Worker at our home, she asks us a lot of questions about us, why adoption, how we parent, what our family dynamic is, how we plan to take care of a child. She looks through our home to be sure it is suited for a child, that it is safe. (Truly that part was a breeze, usually the visit by your SW isn't as bad as many fret about.) Here is the paperwork we are collecting for our Home Study: Individual Fact Sheet, Photo of Adoptive Parents, 2011 Taxes, Guidelines Written by Family (5 page list of questions to answer about your upbringing, past, feelings about a million things, why you want to adopt, any issues you have, any medications you are on or have been on, etc.) Permission to Release Information, Legal Names Forms, A Copy of Any Arrest Records you have had / Court Documents / Certified Copy of Proof fines were paid and community service was completed, 4 Reference Letters, Medical Insurance Coverage Proof, Physician's Report (you must get a physical from your primary Doctor and they fill out a fact sheet on your health), Certified Copies of your Birth Certificates, Certified Copies of your Marriage Certificate, Certified Copies of the Divorce Decree, Attitude Toward Disabilities & Behaviors, 10 Hours of Approved Adoption Training, Addresses since 18, Background Checks in each State you have ever lived in (Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, WI and MN for us) plus a Background Check from the Department of Homeland Security. Yowza! The good news, you don't have to be perfect to adopt = thank goodness (because we are not, have not been, perfect), but you do however need to pretty darn awesome..........and thank goodness we ARE just that! :)