[Josieroundy]

Hi, I'm new to the process and wanted some answers about home studies. We have submitted our paperwork to become foster parents and are waiting for the pride classes to get started. However, we are considering adopting from the foster system in another state but of course can not get any info unless we have a home study already completed. Do we just call our local HHS office and ask for a homestudy to be done or do we have to go to a private agency? I dont have a contact at HHS, but I have received some calls letting me know they have our appication and refrences. Also if you have any information that might help me prepare for the home study that would be great ! Any suprises that you were not expecting to be an issue, but were, ect... Thanks so much

[Sam-N-Tony]

In some states they require that classes as part of your adoption homestudy. I know in my class, there were adoptive and foster parents. You can call your local agency that does the adoptive homestudies. It might be the same that does your foster licensing. In some states there is a waiting time before you can look for children out of your state. I think here its 6 months.

The questions that go on during your homestudy, can consist your childhood, your marriage (if any), relationships with family members, how you discipline children. Pretty much everything you could think of.

Hope this helps, good luck.

[foster_bub]

Our agency would only do a homestudy when we were matched with a child. It was an endless circle because we needed the study to be matched with a child out of state. We finally gave up!

[wantonemore]

Hi! We had our home study today. It was a double (two sw's.. one for foster, one for adopt).

It was easy! (other than all of the stress preparing!)

I asked them for a copy of the checklist they use (you might be able to find one online). They followed that exactly... They found nothing for me to fix or improve upon!

So... look into finding the list.. then you know what to prepare for.

Hugs!