The Adoption Home Study Process

A major step in building your family through adoption is the home study. This factsheet discusses the common elements of the home study process and addresses some questions that prospective adoptive parents may have about the process. Specific home study requirements and processes vary greatly from agency to agency, State to State, and (in the case of intercountry adoption) by the child's country of origin. They are also subject to change.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Elements of the home study process

The home study report

Common questions about the home study

Conclusion

We also recommend the following Information Gateway publications:

• Stepparent Adoption
  (Factsheets for Families)
• Intercountry Adoption: Where Do I Start?
  (Factsheets for Families)
• Adoption Options: Where Do I Start?
  (Factsheets for Families)