One of the most important requirements of the prospective adoptive parents during the adoption process is the adoption home study. No matter what kind of adoption people choose, they will be required to complete an adoption home study. The home study is the first step in the adoption process. What is an adoption home study? A home study is an assessment of the prospective adoptive parent’s skill and talents. The search for an adoptive child can start before the home study is completed but the adoption will no be approved until the home study is completed by the potential adoptive family.

Many prospective adoptive parents find the adoption home study quite stressful. Their lives are put under a microscope, so to speak. Everything about the prospective adoptive parents is investigated. No page is left unturned. The individuals being scrutinized, may initially feel as if they home is being invaded and their lives are being turned inside out and upside down. However as prospective adoptive parents get into the home study and realize how important it is to be educated about adoption, they are not at all reluctant to comply with the home study protocol in order to prepare themselves for adoption.

An adoption home study is conducted by a licensed adoption practitioner or social worker. Their job is to get prospective adoptive parents contemplating all areas of the adoption and making them aware of challenges attached to raising adoptive children. Throughout an adoption home study, the adoption practitioner will visit the home of the prospective adoptive parents where they will carry out a series of interviews. Depending on the nature of the visit, an interview could take anywhere from one to three hours. The questions asked in the interview will depend on the type of adoption chosen. For example if a couple chooses to adopt through the public system, their discussions would be different than a couple who chooses foreign adoption.

Depending on the adoption method chosen will determine the cost of an adoption home study. If choosing public adoption, there is normally no fee required. However the average cost of an adoption home study is about $1000 to $1400. The adoption home study has necessary requirements which must be met by the prospective adoptive parents. The individuals adopting must provide an autobiographical statement which can be presented either verbally or written. The prospective adoptive parents must go through a medical examination and provide a medical report from their doctor. Criminal history is important in an adoption home study. The prospective parents will be screened regarding any criminal activity in their past. They must be cleared by the police regarding criminal history. Also an adoption home study requires the adoptive parents to provide at least four letters of reference.

An adoption home study may seem evasive at first but it is essential that the prospective adoptive parents remember this process is meant to help them with their adoption. The adoption practitioner is available to help the individuals with the adoption process. Although his/her presence in the home may seem intimidating, it is imperative that the potential parents realize she is there to help prepare the way for their adoptive child.