5 Tips to Prepare for a Foster Care or Adoption Home Study

If you have begun to learn about the foster or adoption process, you've probably heard the term "Home Study." This study helps social workers ensure you're ready to provide a home for children in foster care. It also helps in matching you with a child most likely to thrive in your care.

So, how can you prepare for a foster or adoption Home Study? First, you'll want to understand what the Home Study process entails.

The Home Study includes a home inspection. Foster homes must meet all safety standards and contain specific items necessary to properly care for a child. The items are detailed and checked during the Home Study process.

The Home Study involves interviews with potential foster or adoptive parents and sometimes with other family members. The interviews help your social worker get to know you, your goals, and your motivations. Through this process, they'll understand your preferences and be able to match a child in need. Since foster kids are vulnerable to abuse and neglect, this process ensures placement with caring and capable foster parents.

The Home Study is the longest part of the foster and adoption process. For that reason alone, the process can feel daunting. Many foster parents want to learn more about how they can prepare. Preparation is good; for most, the process flows without a snag.

The federal government provides for regulation that impacts all families. Social workers at your foster or adoption agency are also obligated to children in foster care. They are also committed to you and your family. They want you to be successful and are prepared to help you through each step of your fostering journey.

Rely on these five tips to help you prepare a Home Study checklist and sail through your Home Study.

1. Complete Paperwork

The foster care system comes with a lot of paperwork, and staying on top of it is important to keep the process moving. Falling behind can cause delays in the timing of your Home Study. Without completion of the Home Study, approvals will be on hold.

Completing all required paperwork and documentation is time-consuming. Your child welfare agency may be able to upload the document to your parent record. These child welfare information gateways save filing time.

However, the only way to speed up the paperwork process is to commit the time to work through it. Your foster agency partner or adoption professional is standing by to help if needed. They can provide a list of documents you'll want on hand to reference when completing paperwork. A partial list includes:

• Birth certificates for every person who lives in the home
• Social Security cards for every person who lives in the home
• Proof of employment, such as pay stubs
• Tax filing records from the last few years
• Proof of health following a physical exam for each adult in the home (and sometimes children, too)
• Current vaccination records for any pets in the home 
• Personal reference letters
• Background check fingerprint cards

Keeping these documents at your fingertips accomplishes two things. First, it will make filling out paperwork easier. Second, it will streamline the process of completing and submitting the paperwork. It also helps to have a checklist, which is its own topic later in this article.

Try not to feel worried about the Home Study. Instead, focus on working your way through each step on your list. You may find that you enjoy learning a little more about yourself, and your partner, too!

2. Rely on Your Home Study Specialist 

Your agency partner will assign a Home Study specialist to ensure that your home meets safety guidelines defined by your state. The specialist will evaluate whether your home is clean, sanitary, and in good repair. Most importantly, they will check for hazardous conditions or safety issues inside and outside the home. 

Your specialist is your partner in this portion of the approval and licensing process. There is no intent or benefit for your specialist to "catch you," but rather, they share your goal that you become a foster parent. To that end, they will help and guide you through understanding compliance standards, and detail any changes you need to make.

Talk to and rely on your Home Specialist for information ahead of time. This will help you understand expectations so you can prepare and go through your checklist. Your specialist will provide a checklist of tasks to complete as you prepare to welcome a foster child into your home.

This process can feel overwhelming for aspiring foster parents. It helps to break it down into smaller pieces. Lean on your specialist to answer questions and walk you through every step of the process. Chances are, they have been through this with many new foster parents before you and will invite your questions from the beginning. 

If any part of your inspection seems confusing, bring it up to your specialist. Even seemingly simple questions are worth asking, such as whether a specific item can remain at home. The answer could prevent unexpected purchases and ultimately save you money and frustration.

3. Relax and Take a Deep Breath

The Home Study is a process more than it is a step. Many prospective foster parents feel stress even thinking about this part of the foster parent approval process. It does not help to overthink it! You have lots of support to help, including your agency partner.

Start with these simple pro tips.

Don't worry about getting every nook and cranny in your house to be sparkling clean. Your Home Specialist is looking at how you live on a daily basis. While your home needs to be clean and sanitary, evaluation standards recognize that kids are messy! Lived-in homes reflect the fact of life that things get out of place. 

Take a deep breath. Relax and ask two questions: What standards must I meet? and How can I prepare?

Treat your home inspection with the same level of care you would to prepare for a visit from a family member or beloved friend. Homes without a spec of dust or an item out of place make a Home Study Specialist feel nervous. Inspectors know that People with kids rarely keep their homes in pristine condition. Your inspector will want to know that you also realize this and are prepared to welcome a child with all that entails. 

4. Set Up the Bedrooms

While state guidelines vary, all require foster children to sleep in their own beds and have ample personal space for their belongings. Set up your foster child's bedroom to show your understanding of space and privacy expectations. Minimal decorations and accessories for comfort and care are all you'll need at this point.

Cover the basics, and don't worry about having it fully decorated or detailed. You will have time for this after you learn the age, gender, and interests of your new foster child. For the inspection, you need only show that you have dedicated bedroom space that is clean, versatile, and ready to welcome a child. 

Anticipate space for your foster child's clothing. Your home inspector will want to see a closet or chest of drawers dedicated to your foster child. Prepare this space so that it's empty, clean, and ready to receive your foster child's clothing and personal items. If you plan to adopt a sibling group or a larger number of children, be sure to review your state's sleeping and space expectations.

You'll also want to set up and make your foster child's bed prior to the home inspection. Decorations are not essential, and most foster advocates recommend starting with a flexible, neutral decor. After you learn more about what your foster child likes, you can shop for colors, items, and themes to personalize your foster child's space. Many experienced foster families find this to be a great bonding opportunity. 

5. Prepare Family Members

There is no getting around it: the Home Study is an involved process that'll be with you for a while. It helps to keep each family member informed and updated, so everyone knows what to expect. From the time you complete your foster parent application to the time you receive your license, it takes an average of 120 days. For some, the process takes up to six months.

As the longest part of the approval and licensing process, the Home Study takes around 35 days. This time includes multiple home visits and personal interviews.

There are two things that prospective foster parents can do to keep the process moving quickly and smoothly. The first is to be flexible in scheduling in-person visits with your Home Study Specialist. Time snags can happen when schedules don't align.

The second is to have on hand all of the paperwork and checklist items you used earlier in the process. These include documents, tax and pay stub forms, physical exam paperwork, driver's licenses, etc.

Home Study interviews often include other family members. Your specialist will interview all adults and adult children living in the home. They may also interview minor children, depending on their ages. Encourage your kids to be honest and voice their feelings or fears.

Your specialist is a trained social worker. They will talk through concerns and apprehensions, answer questions, and help find solutions. Every member of the family must be ready to welcome and care for a new foster child.

Raising a foster child impacts the whole family. Specialists want to ensure that every member of the family understands how their home and family lives may change. Foster advocates care for everyone in the family. Their goal in the Home Study process is to help create a safe and healthy environment where the family will thrive.

To that end, specialists focus on ensuring foster children and families have positive mental health.

All foster kids experience the trauma of displacement away from birth parents or primary caregivers. Many have a history of child abuse or neglect that resulted in child protective services intervention. A stable, secure foster home, even for a short period of time, can have a lasting impact on foster kids. This is especially true for kids who have suffered physical abuse.

Change can be hard. That said, kids often love having foster siblings and are grateful for the opportunity to help a foster child. Who knows what will happen in the long term? They may one day be among the next generation of adults who want to become foster parents themselves.

Home Study Preparation: The Checklist Every Parent Needs

When you apply to become a foster parent or adoptive parent, your agency partner will give you a checklist. This list includes tasks and the things to do to be ready for a smooth Home Study process.

Here is a checklist to get you started:

• Make sure your home has working lights, heat, and ventilation.
• Safely store cleaning and chemicals out of reach, including household cleaners and hazardous compounds or materials. 
• Use proper locking storage for firearms and projectile weapons (including storing them in inoperative condition).
• Store ammunition and other weapon projectiles in a separate, locked space from firearms.
• Verify access to a functional telephone.
• Test to ensure there is a working smoke detector on every level of the home.
• Post emergency telephone numbers.
• Ensure bathrooms allow for privacy and toilets work.
• Create a written home evacuation plan in case of emergency.
• Free escape routes from any obstacles.
• Safeguard any hazardous outdoor areas, such as a swimming pool. 
• Clean your home and ensure it is safe, sanitary, and in good repair.
• Designate a separate bed for your foster child.
• Ensure that shared bedrooms among children adhere to state guidelines.
• Make all bedrooms have clear access to the emergency exit.
• Carry liability coverage on vehicles used to transport foster kids.
• Install safety gates to block stairway access (if required because of your child's age).
• Secure booster seats (if required because of your child's age)
• Test for well water safety approval (if applicable).

Documents Checklist for the Home Study 

Remember to keep these documents on hand to save you time and keep your Home Study process moving along:

• Driver's license or official state ID
• Birth certificates for every family member
• Social Security cards for every family member
• Proof of income, such as a pay stub
• Tax records for the designated year(s)
• Proof of up-to-date pet vaccinations
• Personal references
• Marriage license (if applicable)

These tips and checklists make handy reference tools. You can read more about preparing for your Home Study.

Background Checks for Foster Parents

All states require prospective foster and adoptive parents to clear a criminal background check. These checks are a priority among the safety measures that protect foster kids. Social services will initiate your fingerprinting and background check. Any other adult living in the home will also need to clear a criminal background check.

Background checks include both state and national records. Notify your child-placing agency if you have moved from a different state within the last five years. If so, they will complete a state police check in multiple states. Since different states have their own timelines, let your advocate know as soon as possible to keep things moving.

Contact your agency partner if you have a specific situation that could affect background checks. Background checks are one of a handful of criteria that can disqualify you from fostering.

Prepare for a Foster Care or Adoption Home Study

While the Home Study is extensive, it serves a vital purpose. It ensures a safe and suitable match between foster or adoptive parents and children in need. Remember, the foster and adoption Home Study processes are the same. Both are about meeting safety standards and showing your readiness and commitment to provide a nurturing environment.

Your Home Study Specialist will support you every step of the way. Their goal is to make the approval process smooth and successful for you and your future foster child. Embrace the process with openness and preparation. Before you know it, you'll be preparing for your first foster placement!

If you're looking for more guidance or have questions about getting ready for the Home Study, reach out to your foster advocate. Your agency partners can help with adoption assistance, as well. They are your partners in this important step towards parenting a foster or adopted child.

If you are new to the process and still need to select a child-placing agency, review agencies in your state. To request additional foster or adoption content, please get in touch with us.