Adoption Home Study

The home study is one of the most important components of the adoption process. It is also one that generates a lot of anxiety on the part of the prospective parents, especially if they have never been through a home study before. The home study is simply intended to give the relevant representatives more information about the family intending to adopt.

However, you may be running numerous scenarios through your mind and anticipating the worst possible situation when the adoption care professional or the social worker arrives. You may wonder exactly what the questions are likely to be so that you can prepare in advance and have better peace of mind that you are fully prepared.

Common Question Categories

There are several different question categories that most adoption professionals and social workers will stick to in order to get a better picture of your family background and your home life. These categories may vary significantly based on the type of adoption you have selected. However, these most common categories include the following:

Family Background in Adoption

A large section of the questions in interviews will focus on your personal and family backgrounds for you and your spouse. This may also focus on questions about you individually and your experience growing up, if you are a single person. These questions may include:

• Best childhood memories.
• Worst childhood memories.
• Whether or not you have other children.
• Why you have chosen adoption?
• What are some of your fears surrounding the adoption process?
• How do you feel about discipline?
• Tell us more information about your family growing up.
• What are your hopes for the future?

Community

Another crucial part of the interview process to adopt a child in the state of New Jersey has to do with your community environment and your home. Social workers may identify that a questionable community could lead to an adoption falling through. The questions that are asked typically include information about:

• The school system in your area.
• Whether or not your community is safe.
• Your existing relationship with your neighbors.
• Where your child will attend school after being adopted.
• Whether there are particular resources available to you and the child in the community.
• What outlets like teams, arts and sports are available in your community.

Health

Your emotional as well as your physical health may be evaluated by the social worker or your adoption care professional. Furthermore, medical records may be requested from your doctor regarding the background of any psychiatric or physical illness. Usually, your health does not carry as much weight in the adoption process as the other questions do. However, the social worker is well within their rights to ask these questions including:

• How you are currently keeping health issues under control?
• How chronic health issues impact you day to day life?
• Whether or not you have an action plan available in case of an emergency.
• Whether you can anticipate a chronic health issue developing over the course of the future because of your family history.
• Whether or not your doctor recommends adoption with your current health issues.

Criminal Clearances

In the vast majority of states, you should already be anticipating a criminal record or child abuse record check completed by the adoption agency. You need to be forthcoming about any information tied to a past arrest or whether or not any past behavior and actions may indicate that you could be a safety risk to the child or others.

Planning in advance with the help of an experienced New Jersey adoption attorney can help you feel more confident about the home study and to ensure that you pass with flying colors by answering openly and honestly.

Contact Our Offices in Haddonfield, Woodbury or Philadelphia

To learn more about your rights during the home study component of the adoption process, call us in Haddonfield, NJ at (856) 429-5005 or in Woodbury, NJ at (856) 845-2555. We can also be reached in Philadelphia, PA at (215) 563-2150 or by e-mail. Our offices are open weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Weekend and evening appointments may be arranged upon request.