After you have decided on adopting a baby, the next step is to go through a home study which is actually a series of interviews and home visits by the social workers.
This home study assessment is what many potential adoptive parents fear most.
It is not that they have hidden skeletons in their closets but because they have no idea what to expect from these series of assessments.
As such, it is essential that before you actually put in the adoption form, you should seek out some adoption advice first.
Adopting a baby is not a simple process and it requires a lot of financial as well as mental preparations.
You can seek out such vital adoption advice either from online sites or from books in the library.
You can talk to your family members first before discussing with social workers or adoption agencies about the process that you would need to go through.
So what exactly are social workers looking for when they conduct interviews and home visits with you? This article will help you to better understand what home study is all about.
Household Income Rest assured that the social workers are not looking for millionaire adoptive parents so you do not have to feel uncomfortable when they enquire details about your household income.
They just need to make very sure that your household income is sufficient to feed an extra mouth or two.
Background of Family It may be helpful for you to be prepared that the social workers are going to probe right into your family affairs during the interviews.
The questions that they ask might be very embarrassing as they are keen in finding out about your relationships with your parents, other siblings as well as how you had spent your childhood.
If you are applying for an adoption with your spouse, they will question you about your relationship right from the beginning of your courtship days to your after marriage life including issues like your sexual relationships! They will also want to know how well you can handle failures and to share experiences about your lives together.
It might all seem very intimating but if you understand that they are doing careful checks so as to ensure that the children do not get placed in the wrong families, you will be able accept and tolerate the awkward situations.
Status of Relationship If you and your spouse are adopting a baby as a couple, the social workers would want to know how strong your relationship is.
They are interested in finding out if the two of you are able to communicate well with each other, whether you discussed before you make any decisions and how you solve problems together.
This is to ensure that your adopted child is placed in a safe environment, free from any potential violence or abuse.
On the other hand, if you are adopting a baby as a single parent, you will be questioned about your social life and how you intend to incorporate time for your child into your busy schedule since you will have to work and look after your child on your own.
It might help if you are able to get strong family support such as having a grandparent to look after your adopted child while you are at work.
Whether you are Mentally and Physically Healthy Another important aspect that the social worker will want to find out about is your physical, mental and psychological stability.
All members in your immediate family will have to send in reports that all of you are not suffering from any infectious diseases or from any mental problems.
This is to ensure that your adopted child is entering a safe and loving family.
There are also other minor aspects that the social workers would want to find out, such as your religion, the safety aspect of your neighbourhood, as well as your daily routine.
No doubts, some of these questions might sound embarrassing and intruding but bear in mind that this is to ensure that the child is placed into a suitable family that will love and protect him/her in future.
As mentioned above, if you have seek adoption advice prior to the adoption application, you will be better prepared and will co-operate well with the social workers.
We had gone through the whole process and we both agree that knowing what is expected had actually helped us to face the home study assessments without too much stress.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should be very honest to the social workers.