All About the Home Study in Adoption

Anyone who wants to adopt a child is legally required to complete a home study first. No one is an exception to the home study rule, even if the prospective adoptive parent is the president of the United States. Adoption laws vary from state to state, however, the home study is a mandatory prerequisite across the country. A home study is essentially a written report about who a prospective adoptive parent is a person and their history. This post is all about educating prospective adoptive parents about home studies. Read on to find out more about what they are, who writes them up, etc.

What is a Home Study?

In a nutshell, a home study is a report detailing whether or not someone is ready to parent.

What does a Home Study entail?

Relationship Status
Health History
Current Health History
Details about the home
Details about the neighborhood
History of Criminal Activity
Family Relationships
Feelings about parenting, adopting, and infertility (if applicable).
Personal References
A social worker’s approval in writing that their client would be a fit parent.

Who writes a Home Study?

Prospective adoptive parents must go to a social worker licensed in their state to write their home study. Social workers must be affiliated with a licensed adoption agency to adopt internationally through Hague-Convention countries. There are a few states that require the home study social worker to be affiliated with an adoption agency.

Adoptions From The Heart Home Study Fees:

General Home Study*= $1,600

Update by AFTH of previous home study*: $450
Update every six months in Virginia/ first year in Connecticut: $175/each
Home study review of the current home study by another agency*: $500
New full home study after two years (Connecticut) or three years in an agency program* (other states): $850
Addendum to home study*: $300

*Travel Time- One-hour round trip from AFTH office is free. After that, the charge is $45 / half-hour.

How long do Home Studies take?

Between 3-6 months. This includes the time from when a prospective adoptive parent contacts the social worker, to when the social worker finishes writing the report.