[Emster]

Can someone help to give me a picture of the process in Indiana? Is the home study process any different than other adoption processes; does the family have to come up with personal references and physical exams etc they would be required in other circumstances?

Thanks in advance for the information.

[Suzi1972]

Originally Posted by Emster

Can someone help to give me a picture of the process in Indiana? Is the home study process any different than other adoption processes; does the family have to come up with personal references and physical exams etc they would be required in other circumstances?

Thanks in advance for the information.

The first step is notification to the biological parent. The home study involves criminal backgrounds and things of such. When they come to the home it's really not a big deal. They just ask questions such as how big the home is, sleeping arrangments, how long parent and step-parent have been together.. etc...

After that the caseworker files the study with the court and a date is set up.

[StorkWatcher]

Our friend adopted his stepson. it was a fairly quick and pretty simple process for them. They were a little surprised then at all the extra steps we had to go through a few years later when we were licensed to adopt through the state.

Basically, I just remember them (by attorney/helped by the state) having to notify the bfather of the intent to adopt and wait on a reply. In this case, the bfather I don't think had ever even seen the child. At least, he'd had zero contact with him and had never paid support. Fortunately, the bfather agreed to terminate his rights right away, so it was uncontested.

THey did the background check on Dad, and they had one or 2 home visits before the offical adoption that didn't amount to anything. It was pretty simple.

If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me and I don't mind at all to ask my friends again. I think they'd be happy to give me more details to refresh my memory. The child is our godson, but it was pretty much a formality that they had to go through, so I don't recall it in minute detail. His dad has been around since he was just a few months old and has always been the only father figure and father our little A (now almost 12!!!) has ever known.

[StorkWatcher]

Also, you might try Xposting on the Indiana Foster/Adopt board. I think some of the families there may have stepparent adoption experience.....http://forums.adoption.com/forumdisplay.php?f=487