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| HOME STUDY AND POST-PLACEMENT REPORTS
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For over twenty years Holy Cross Child Placement Agency, Inc. has been conducting Home Studies and Post-Placement Reports for families wanting to adopt, and Holy Cross continues to guide families through this process. Holy Cross is fully licensed to conduct Home Studies for families living in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
A Home Study Overview
A Home Study is a written report produced by a social worker through a licensed agency and includes an overview of your family’s life and the social worker’s recommendation for adoption. Prior to the placement of any child, each State and the District of Columbia require prospective adoptive parent(s) to participate in the Home Study process for any domestic or international adoption. The purpose of the Home Study is to educate the adoptive family about the adoption process and to assist Holy Cross, the courts and U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS) in the case of international adoptions to evaluate whether the prospective parents can provide the child with a stable home.
The Home Study Process
The Home Study process includes the production of documents, the completion of forms, home visits, and interviews.
- Application: The first step is to complete the application provided to you by Holy Cross. The application will ask you questions about your background, parenting practices and reasons for adopting. Once the application has been accepted, Holy Cross will notify you in writing and begin the adoption process.
- Documents and forms: Once your application has been approved by Holy Cross, you will be asked to produce certain documents, and to complete a number of forms as required by your State. Holy Cross will provide you with the necessary forms. The required documents and forms vary from State to State, depending on the type of adoption you are pursuing, but generally include the following:
- Employment verification;
- Certified birth certificates for each family member;
- Certified marriage certificate;
- Divorce decree(s);
- Military discharge(s);
- Federal Income Tax Returns;
- Criminal and child abuse record clearances;
- Financial statement;
- Physician's report;
- Letters of reference; and
- Home Study/Post-Placement agreement.
- Schedule an interview with the social worker: While completing your paperwork, a social worker will visit your home to conduct a personal interview with the family members residing in your home, and to determine whether your home provides a safe environment for an adopted child. Additionally, the social worker will discuss with you adoption-related issues such as your reason and motivation for adopting, and the type of child you would like to parent. The number of interviews conducted by the social worker depends on the requirements of your State, but on average three visits are required. During the interview, the social worker will ask you questions about the following topics:
- Marriage;
- Relationships;
- Interaction with children;
- Your home and neighborhood;
- Your childhood;
- Family background;
- Education/employment;
- Daily life;
- Parenting; and;
- Religion.
- Preparation of the Home Study report: Based on the information gathered from the home visits and interviews, the social worker will complete the Home Study Report. The Report will include the social worker’s recommendation for the adopted child’s age range and the number of children the family may adopt.
- Review of the Home Study report: For domestic adoptions, your Home Study will be reviewed by the court where the adoption petition is filed. For international adoptions, your Home Study will be reviewed by USCIS and the government of the country from where the child is being adopted.
Length of Process
The Home Study process generally takes four to eight weeks to complete. The length of time may vary based on the speed in which documents are gathered, and the scheduling of home visits and doctors appointments.
Post-Placement Reports and Agency Recommendation
In some cases, Post-Placement Reports are required by the State in which you live, and the government of the foreign country in the case of international adoption, once the child is residing with the adoptive parents in the U.S. The purpose of the Post-Placement process is to ensure the well-being of the adopted child, the continued safety of the home, and the child’s adjustment to his/her new family. As with Home Study visits, the number of Post-Placement visits depends on the requirements of the State and foreign government. Typically, three Post-Placement visits are necessary to finalize your adoption.
Costs of the Home Study and Post-Placement Reports
| Home Study Fee
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$1,450
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| Home Study Fee for China
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$1,550
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| Post Placement
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$275 per report
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| Court Reports
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$375 per report
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