What a home study asks, and what it doesn’t
A social worker will visit your home once or twice. Here is what they are looking for, what they are not, and the three questions that cost people the most sleep.
What it is
A home study is a report about your household written by a licensed social worker, for the court and the agency. It is the reason a judge can say yes to an adoption without having met you. Requirements differ by state and by agency, but the shape is nearly always the same: paperwork, interviews and a visit.
The paperwork
- Identification and proof of income
- Medical reports from your doctor
- Background and child-abuse clearances for every adult in the home
- References from friends or family
- An autobiographical statement, often a few pages
Most of the delay is not you. It is waiting for clearances and references to come back, so ask for them first.
The visit
The social worker will walk through your home to see that it is safe, not that it is beautiful. Expect to be asked about smoke detectors, medications, a pool or a fence, and where the child will sleep. A spare room with a mattress on the floor is fine if it is clean and safe.
The three questions that cost people sleep
People worry most about a past mistake, about money, and about whether their family looks the way a family is supposed to. A past mistake is not automatically disqualifying, but hiding one can be: tell us before the social worker finds it. Income only has to show you can feed and house a child. And there is no standard shape of family; single parents, unmarried couples and same-sex couples are assessed on the same questions as everyone else.
The study is not looking for a perfect household. It is looking for one that is honest about itself.
After the visit
You are usually allowed to read the draft report before it is filed. Do. Corrections are easy to make then and slow to make later, and we will read it with you.