Every state requires prospective adoptive families to participate in an adoption home study to ensure that adoptions are conducted legally and responsibly. The adoption home study process is designed to assess your ability to be a parent. The home study provider is a licensed social worker who is there to help you prepare for adoptive parenting and equip you for success.
The process is about more than just confirming that you are qualified to bring a child into your home. It also gives the social worker and your adoption professionals the opportunity to get to know you, which is key in helping a birth mother find and choose you as the perfect match for her baby.
Adoption Home Study Checklist
Tapestry Adoption has created an adoption home study checklist to help adoptive parents based on the most common questions we receive about home studies.
“How deep will they dig into our lives?”, “Do we have to organize every closet and dust every corner?”, “Can we get a home study if we rent our home?”, and “Is there any reason we wouldn’t be approved?”—are just a few of the frequently asked questions we receive about adoption home studies.
Here are the essential items you will need to provide:
- ID – such as a driver’s license
- Proof of residency
- Birth certificates for all adults and children in the home
- Marriage license
- Divorce Decrees
- Death Certificate of a former spouse
- Proof of Military Discharge
- Background checks (FBI, State, Local, Abuse, Sex offender) for every state lived in for the past five years
- Relative references
- Non-relative references
- Employment references
- School references for children in the home
- Financial statement
- Tax returns for the past three years
- Proof of medical insurance, including documentation that you can add an adopted child
- Savings statement
- Guardianship statement – who is named and accepts responsibility in the event something happens to the parents
- Physicals on adoptive parents and all children in the home
- Pet vaccination verification
- Complete state application to adopt
- Adoption disclosure
- Release of information
- Confirmation of completion of mandatory training hours
- Adoptive family questionnaire (very detailed historical and current information about the family)
- Other forms to sign and acknowledge depending on state requirements – such as:
- Acknowledgment of Firearms safety requirements
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Information
- Water Safety
You will also have:
- Interviews with all family members
- Inspection of the home
Gather the Essential Documents
The initial phase of the adoption home study will involve paperwork. Your adoption professional will help you complete the home study application and connect you with the licensed professional who will conduct your adoption home study. Once you’ve completed the application, work on gathering the following documents:
- ID (such as a driver’s license or passport)
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Proof of employment and income
- Proof of insurance
- Financial records
- Medical records
- Documentation of a recent physical with your doctor
How to Avoid Delays
When working on your home study process, we recommend asking your provider for a complete list of all the documents you need to provide. This way, you can prioritize the ones that may take longer to obtain and start on them early. Getting a head start on these documents can help you stay ahead of the game and ensure your home study process goes smoothly.
During the home study process, it’s common for providers to require a signed physician’s statement regarding your health, as well as fingerprinting by an authorized authority. If you have pets, it’s important to schedule vet appointments to ensure they are up to date on all vaccinations. Taking care of these requirements ahead of time can help streamline the process and ensure that everything goes smoothly.
All in all, your home study process will progress at the rate you turn in the necessary items to your provider. The quicker you can get everything turned in, the smoother it will go. It’s a good idea to ask a potential provider about their turnaround time once they have everything they need.
Background Checks
Each state requires prospective adoptive parents to participate in a background check. Depending on your state’s specific requirements, this may include:
- Federal, state, and local criminal records
- Child abuse records
- Fingerprints
Be honest about any criminal activity in your past. Depending on the circumstances, your adoption professional may still be able to work with you.
Interviews with a Social Worker
Think of your interviews as an opportunity to build a relationship with the social worker. The social worker is there to educate you about the adoption process and prepare you for the next steps.
One purpose of the interviews is to document your social history, your story, and what led you to choose adoption. You’ll likely discuss your background and family, your experiences with children, your parenting philosophy, how you handle stress, and what age child will best fit your family. Be authentic—no one is expecting perfection. Honesty is key to making a successful match.
If children (adoptive or biological) are already part of your family, they will also be involved in the home study. The social worker may ask about school, their friends, and their interests. They may invite older children to participate in a group session to share their feelings about having a sibling. The social worker wants to ensure that the entire family is ready to welcome a new child into their home.
Your Home Visit Checklist
For many hopeful adoptive parents, the home visit can be the most intimidating part of the adoption home study. However, it won’t be a critique of your housekeeping skills. The social worker is more concerned with your home being a safe, comfortable environment for a child.
Use a childproofing checklist like the one below to address any potential hazards before your home study:
- Store toxic cleaners out of reach and behind a childproof lock
- Tie up dangling cords on drapes and blinds
- Test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they work properly
- Safely store firearms in a locked location
- Install safety gates, a fireplace grill, and outlet covers to protect young children
- Ensure the yard is safe, and any decks or pools are fenced according to code
- Create a plan for where your child will sleep and play
Tapestry Adoption is proud to offer the most economical prices for adoption home studies in Indiana. For more information or to schedule your home study, call us at 317-529-7322. We’re here to support you every step of the way in your adoption journey!
Indiana Home Study 