Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Preparing for a Homestudy

Preparing for our home study is next on our list. Wait, what?


After the ups and downs we've had to deal with, we're excited to start this process. It's kind of the this is actually happening part (well, before the holy cow this is actually happening part).

A home study is a written report of findings of a social worker who has met with applicants on several occasions. In our case, the social worker works through Bethany. She will meet with us four times; once in the office, and three times in our home. She will interview us individually and together. The following information is usually included in a home study:
  • Personal and family background
  • Significant people in our lives
  • Marriage relationships
  • Family relationships
  • Motivation to adopt
  • Expectations for the child
  • Parenting and integration of the child into the family
  • Family environment
  • Physical health and history
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Finances
  • References
We've been assured not to be too worried about the home study. You're probably wondering about that whole remodel thing, right? Yeah...we were too. Well, we've asked numerous questions about the impact that remodeling (like serious remodeling) will have on our home study report. They've assured us not to worry one bit about this. Plus our case worker will look for progress as she visits. Which is good, because clearly our basement doesn't match the rest of our house. (Insert proud emoji). Check out our home renovation blog if you haven't already seen it.

Bethany has told us they have a maximum of 120 days to complete the home study. Bethany does both domestic and international adoption, but international adoptions take priority over domestic home study mainly because of the wait times. She said we should have ours completed by July. After the home study report is complete, we’ll get all of our other documents put together and send off to the country.

I called our adoption specialist today to ask a couple basic questions before we get started. She’s going to send a packet of documents to us go to through and start.
Whoo!

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