Home study

JSquare · #1 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 06:48 AM

DH and I are in the very early stages here but I have gotten 2 references for an agency in our city - one friend who gave up her baby about 12 years ago, and one co-worker who adopted her son a year ago, from the same agency. They had nothing but wonderful things to say about those folks so that is where DH and I will start our interviewing.

My question is about the home study. I have no clue what that involves. Any info and tips? Should I be as scared of the words "home study" as I am?? I read somewhere, not on these boards, about home study horror stories! The future baby's room is currently DH's game room so he has to get that sorted out. Do you have to have a nursery set up for the home study or just show them where it will be? I am guessing the home study process is different if you're doing private vs. state adoption?

I'm really getting myself stressed out over this . . .

One thing I'm worrying about is we are about to start a major remodel on our house. It should be done in August (of course we all know about contractors and their time estimates so it could go longer). When it's done it will be a big difference and I'm really excited about it! Should we wait until that is done, or get the process started. I'd hate to have a social worker come in while the house is torn up. How long, typically, between choosing an agency/attorney and getting the home study?

nicoleb · #2 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 07:17 AM

You can start the homestudy anytime, but I would time it close to when you pick the agency/attorney because the SW will ask you who you are working with. If you are using an agency, they will most likely have a SW do the homestudy for you from their agency.

As far as home renovations I am not sure. I know when our homestudy was done the baby's room was still a home office and we just said that as soon as we got a referral we would get a nursery set up. They were fine with that.

Hope everything moves along quickly for you!

Nicole

*Mely1015*/Melissa · #3 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 09:51 AM

Same thing in here you don't need to have the nursery done for the homestudy just show where it will be!...what they ask...well I am doing it with the state so it is very intrusive...they ask pretty much everything...childhood, familiy, first time that you had sex, if you had used drugs or alcohol..etc, relationships, church, job, friends, neighboors....I mean everything that you could possible imagine...but it is not a big deal...at least it wasn't for me. I think that if it is a big renovation I would wait before getting into the homestudy b/c they might point at thing that wont be safe in the process for a child...at least that's how the state works....but you are doing private...right?...so it might be different.

leanrog · #4 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 12:21 PM

Well, from the experience we had the homestudy wasn't a big deal at all. I was scared to death of what it was going to be like and did all this research and then it turned out to be a piece of cake as far as the visit is concerned. We didn't have to have the nursery done yet either and we also didn't have to have the house child proofed. The main things we had to have were fire extinquishers, a smoke detector in the kitchen and one in every bedroom. For our update in Ohio we had to have a fire escape plan drawn up but I did it by hand. The worst part is just the paperwork but take one paper at a time and it's not too bad.

I would check with the homestudy agency you are looking at and see how long out they are doing the home visit because it may be a few months before they even do that so I might would go ahead and start with the process. Of course I hate waiting so I may not be the best person to give adivce on that

It takes awhile to get the paperwork together though so you should be fine.

mytwoboys07 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 12:27 PM

I am so glad that you asked this question, because thinking about the homestudy has freaked me out. I am glad to hear that it is not so bad!

theluvof2moms · #6 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 12:31 PM

I don't have time to really comment but I don't think you will have alot of worries, I'll touch base again in the morning with more detail.

JSquare · #7 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 08:58 AM

Thanks for the info. ladies

The one agency we're interviewing has SW on staff that do the home study. The second agency that we liked doesn't have them on staff but has a list of SW they work with.

We might have to have some sort of hurricane evacuation plan too, since we're in Florida. We're not in a flood zone or an evacuation zone though, thankfully.

Mely - I cannot believe they asked you such intimate questions! I asked one of the agencies about the renovation and they said it's not a big deal but like Leanne said, it could be months before we get the home study done and by then (hopefully) all the work will be done and the house will be back in order.

*Mely1015*/Melissa · #8 (**permalink**) 06-27-2008, 09:26 AM

That's good...and it is true the home study can take like 3 months to be finished, so if you start with the renovation now you might had finished by then!