Individuals wishing to adopt must be approved by a home study agency to do so. This process is done by a social worker that gathers documents from you, interviews you, comes into your home, and provides you with information concerning adoption. Your home study agency should be licensed in your state of residence, close to where you live, and one that can provide a home study in a reasonable amount of time. Make sure you are comfortable with the social worker that will be completing your home study. Ask for references, and make sure to get all of their fees up front. In order to pursue an international adoption through Lighthouse, we must have an approved home study and agency recommendation on file to complete your foreign dossier.
The social worker is there to help you, not necessarily to judge you. Agencies are much more interested in bringing families together, than keeping them apart. There are many documents that must be gathered during the home study process. To name a few:
- References
- Application for home study services
- Physical Reports for each person residing in the home
- Autobiographical statements of the adoptive parents
- Criminal Record/Clearance
- Child Abuse Registry Clearance
- Financial Statements
Most of all you must be up front with your social worker. Work with her as a team and be yourself.
If you live in Michigan, you can begin your home study process with Lighthouse!
Within 10 days of receiving your application and home study fees, Lighthouse will contact you and provide you with the necessary documents you’ll need to get started. We will also assign you a wonderful Social Worker in your area, who will contact you, set up your first visit and help you through your process. A home study consists of a minimum of 4 visits, all of which may be in your home. Lighthouse also has a 10 hour Educational requirement that we can provide online resources to help complete, or local classes to complete depending on your location. If you are working with Lighthouse for your home study only, we will work together with your placing agency to provide all of the necessary documents for your foreign dossier.