APs/PAPs Do you think the homestudy process is sufficiently difficult?

IDK!!

I do think that homestudies SHOULD be very involved. Ours was. I think the homestudy we had was probably what most PAPs go through or at should. I worry when I hear that someone didn't have a homestudy or just a 30 min. inteview. It's scary.

What is in the best interes of the child is what matters. I would have let them put a webcam in my house if I though it would help

Just rescently our state ruled that anyone filing for adoption needs to be cleared by the child abuse reporting agency, proving that they haven't been investigated before, also they need a new background check 10 days prior ro finalization proving that they haven't aquired new charges during the adoption process.

You can never be to safe. It cases like this that make me think that there's isn't enough invesitgation when considering a placement, adoption or foster

Well, it won't let me post a link, but google marcus fiesel.

Freckle Face

No i don't think the homestudy process is sufficiently difficult. Our homestudy was done in 2002 and its just been extended since then cause adoptions falling thru. Its really been a while but it sounds very similar to Opedial's experience. I would require parenting classes like "love and logic". I would also require separate psychological exams. Many psych. exams to weed out these crazy aparents making the rest of us look bad! When dealing with a child's life, I agree you can never be too careful.

Oh me oh my...â™¥

~We had to fill out a ton of paper work
~Have a background check done
~Have an interview separately and then as a family
`Go to training (I think 20 hours)
~Then have another interview after the the head of the department went back to the office and looked over our answers and such

I think there is always room for improvement. I think that when it come to a child's future one can never be too careful!!!

Kim

I think the homestudy process is pretty good at weeding out people who have *already* done something wrong -- with all the background checks, fingerprints, etc we had to do, I think if you had a "record" they would find it.

However, if you haven't done anything to get yourself "on the books," I don't think they have a great way of telling who will be and who will not be a good parent. We had several rounds of interviews with our social worker, and we had nothing to hide, but I think people could "put up a good front" and get through the interview, even if they had marital trouble, anger issues, etc.

The agency we used for our second adoption required the MMPI psychological test which, I guess, is supposed to help "flag" some of those issues...but I think that was an agency requirement (not a state requirement).

GEE-GEE

The process is not bad. They only do about a 1/2 interview basically because they have met with the family many times before the homestudy.
The person doing the homestudy comes in to make sure the house is safe. They are making sure:
* all the plugs are baby proofed
* all chemicals are kept up high and out of the reach of children
* all medicine is locked up in a tackle box and out of reach
* there must be a first aid kit
* there must be a fire extinguisher
* they house must be clean and safe
* there must be a bedroom suitable for the baby
* if there is a pool or spa it must either have a gate or be locked
* they even check the temperature of the hot water that comes out of the faucets.

It is a pretty thorough inspection.

mom of many

most states have a much longer than a half hour homestudy. Its 3-4 interviews at about 2 hours each. sot the case worker can realy feel like they know you.

BPD Wife

Our home study was very involved from the beginning. The actually "home" study itself may have been short in comparison, but we met with the agency several times for interviews, and also had to complete a detailed profile that answered questions about our extended families, life as a child, and our parenting ideas. The entire packet made up our "home study".

When we were going thru the process, I constantly complained about all the work we had to do because if we would have a biological child, we wouldn't have to "pass" any tests. But then I started to realize that the reason for all of this "red tape" was to insure the safety of the children being adopted. If the agency didn't require this type of information, etc., children would be put at risk for safety. If the red tape that we encountered helped to prevent one child from being placed in an abusive or worse home, then it was worth every minute of paperwork that we had to complete.

Just our 2 cents worth.

Cartier

I wish I only had a 1/2 hour interview! It was way more than that. As for difficulty, my whole entire life and every aspect of it including my house and neighborhood was reviewed and documented in some manner, then most paperwork was notarized and then authenticated (proving the notary was a notary).

And that's not it- then, even my sister who lived with me at the time was reviewed. I was even asked about my extended family and how they'd react to my future child and in addition I had to get written referrals stating my character.

On top of all that our citizenship was even reviewed by USCIS.

I guess the homestudy process varies according to agency or state.

HappyMomAnna

Our Home Study was very involved and indepth. We were happy that it was, as it made it possible to be matched with our children...

Our home study was for Special Needs children so we expected to be a long ordeal and it was. Plus we were older and had lived a lot of life so it required more paper and investigations because we had a lot of history to look over.

And, adult children to interview--as my children were late teens and leaving for college so all of their background had to be looked at, and they had to be interviewed as well...

As a leader of the Adoption Support group in my county for over 2 years I would not say that Most Families Pass... Our group was for pre-adopt and post adopt families and it was clear that a large number of pre-adopt families waiting for their home study to be approved were not. In fact during one month we watched four families be told they would not have an approved home study.

I also see this all over, many families are not passed and it happens more then people think. It may happen for a number of reasons, but anyone who believes that all the parents who make it to the end are passed are wrong.

Some families may also pass the home study but, not be considered or selected as a placement--which is nearly the same as not passing...Just more painful for the family thinking they will have a placement.

Jennifer L

I thought it was pretty intensive. We had two pre-placement visits, required education on general adoption, then another class specific to international adoption, fingerprints, background checks, health clearances, letters of reference, proof of financial security, home safety checks, etc.

I might open this as an additional question, but we also had 4 post-placement visits, with MSW reports and have to do yearly reports, with photos until our children are 18. I was curious about what other agencies require for post placement. Homestudies are great at "weeding", but I think the follow up after placement is even more important.

ETA: I liked the 10 days before placement follow up on the criminal report. Good idea.

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