Preparing for a Successful Home Study
A successful home study is the difference between seeing your dreams of growing your family come to life or waiting longer for it to come to fruition. We want to ensure you have everything you need to complete your adoption, and as an agency licensed in Iowa, we can provide tips for preparing for a home study.
We know you can’t wait to begin life with your new family which is why you’ll have a dedicated adoption specialist to walk you through each step of your home study, answering any questions or concerns that you have.
Use this form to learn more about how to prepare for a home study in Iowa, whether you’re already working with an adoption agency, or you’re interested in completing your adoption through us.
How Working with a Licensed Agency Can Ensure a Successful Home Study
When you are preparing for a home study, find the best provider by asking about their plans for the following items of the home study:
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Interviews
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Background checks
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Writing of the home study
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The cost of the home study
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Post-placement services
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Home study updates
Some home study requirements vary by county, which means certain agencies may only be licensed in the county they’re located in. Because we are a national agency, we are licensed at the state level, meaning we can provide home study services and guidance on how to prepare for a home study no matter where you’re located in Iowa.
We can provide you with all the tools you need to complete your home study, as well as everything you need to complete your adoption under one roof such as:
Find out more about what a licensed adoption agency can do for your home study by contacting us online.
How to Prepare for a Home Study with an Agency
1. Start Gathering Documents and Records
Your social worker will have to review the necessary documents and records for each family member in the household. Those documents can include:
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Driver’s licenses
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Birth certificates
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Social security cards
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Tax records
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Medical records
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Proof of income
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And much more
You might have some of these documents around the house, while others may take time to compile. Gathering these documents ahead of time will make the process go faster.
2. Prepare Your Home
Part of your in-home visit is to ensure that your home is safe for a child. Child-proofing your home ahead of the in-home visit is another way to make the process go as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Just like compiling some of the necessary documents may take time, you might need time to child-proof your house when it comes to:
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Proper locks on windows and doors
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Functioning smoke detectors
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Safe rails and gates for stairs
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Covers for electrical outlets
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Emergency plans
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And much more
3. Think About the Interview
Each member of your household will be interviewed as part of the home study. This is another layer to the home study that helps confirm your readiness to parent while getting to know you.
Thoughtful answers can go a long way and although there is no specific set of questions for the interview, here’s an example of some of them:
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How do you think your upbringing has shaped you?
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What do you do for a living?
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Can you provide for a child financially?
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Why do you want to adopt?
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What do you think your parenting style will be like?
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How well do you understand the adoption process?
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What do you know about some of the unique challenges adopted children can face?
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What are your hopes for your child?
Get the support you deserve. Fill out our form to learn more about preparing for a home study or pre-apply to begin your Iowa adoption and home study.
Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.