[mamae]

Hi,

I live in the middle of nowhere and need an agency upstate NY to perform my homestudy. There is nothing close to me but the closest places with agencies are: Bufallo, Rochester, Syracuse and Binghamton.

Anyone would recommend me a good homestudy agency in on of these areas?

As of now the agencies I am speaking with are:

- Adoption & Counseling Services, Inc (in Syracuse, NY)
- Catholic Family Center (in Binghamton, NY)
- Jewish family services (in Rochester, ny)
- Baker Victory Adoption (in Lakawanna, NY)
- Family Connections (in Portland, NY)
- Adoption Star (in Williansville, NY)

Any info on any of them? None of them really made me feel 100% confident and I would love feedback!!!

Thank you

Sandra Skolny

[sak9645]

1. Be sure to check with your placement agency. Many placement agencies will accept homestudy reports ONLY from certain providers, because they feel that those providers will conduct a thorough homestudy and make a report that is consistent with USCIS and foreign requirements. This is particularly true, when an agency places children from countries that have ratified the Hague Convention on intercountry adoption. Other placement agencies, while not requiring use of certain homestudy providers, can give you good advice regarding an agency in your area.

2. While you must use a homestudy agency located in your state of residence, it does not have to be located right near your home. Many of the larger homestudy providers have social workers based in several different parts of the state, so that they can serve a broader population. Just make sure that the social worker assigned to you is familiar with homestudies for your country of interest.

3. Remember that placement agencies are often homestudy agencies, too. Consider having your homestudy done by an agency in your state that does placements from your country of interest, even though you are adopting through a different agency. You may not get first priority in scheduling visits, but you are likely to get a homestudy worker who is familiar with the requirements of your country of interest.


Sharon