What is a Foster Care or Adoption Home Study?

Preparing for the Home Study Process

The United States foster care system is responsible for nearly 400,000 foster kids. Children in foster care need caring individuals to help them until they can return home to their birth families.

If you are a prospective foster parent or plan to adopt from foster care, you may have questions about the foster care process. The longest and most detailed part of the foster or adoption process is the Home Study. Let's take a closer look to help you understand and prepare for this vital tool used in the child welfare system.

Basic Home Study Requirements 

The Home Study is part of the foster and adoptive parent approval and licensing process. Foster and adoption agencies use the Home Study to ensure applicants are fit and ready to care for youth in foster care. This includes being able to provide a safe and stable foster home.

A significant number of children in care experienced child abuse or neglect. Research has shown that home care for children gives foster youth better outcomes compared to group homes. The more caring licensed foster parents, the better foster children will fare, no matter their length of time in the system.

The Home Study allows agency representatives to understand your home environment and family's lifestyle. They'll confirm your application details and financial situation. They will assess your ability to care for foster children. They will also determine which children are likely to thrive in your family.

Each state reviews the basic requirements for fostering or adopting a child. To foster children, you must have good health and the financial stability to care for them. Your home must have: 

• Heating/cooling based on the season
• Power and lighting
• Ventilation
• Indoor plumbing
• Bedroom space for each foster child
• Ample space for each foster child's personal belongings
• Compliance with safety laws, including fire, zoning, and building
• Zero safety hazards

Your home must also provide a:

• Clean environment
• Working telephone
• Reliable means of transportation

During the Home Study, representatives will conduct a home safety inspection. They'll also interview prospective foster parents and other family members. Adults and other household members must also clear a criminal background check.

What Living Conditions are 'Unsafe?'

No one expects homes with children to be spotless, but they must be clean and well-maintained. Most unsafe living conditions are self-explanatory. Examples like broken windows or stairs are obvious and easy to spot as unsafe for any child in foster care.

Some hazards and unsafe conditions take closer inspection to find. Examples include mold or pest infestations, including insects or rodents. These can be harmful to people's health and personal safety.

Mice and rats can chew through walls, wires, and water lines and can cause serious health issues themselves. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is one such infectious disease caused by rodents. For these reasons, a pest infestation in the home is not safe for children. 

Homes must also be free of hazardous materials. Weapons and firearms must comply with state and federal laws. You must store guns separately from ammunition in a locked cabinet or gun safe. You must also store tools, chemicals, and medications in locked spaces safely out of reach of children. 

Does My Foster Child Need a Separate Bedroom?

A common myth about foster care and adoption is that foster parents must live separately from other family members. Renting or living with other family members doesn't mean you can't be a foster parent. That said, you must still meet basic requirements. 

Your foster home must have adequate living space for your foster child. Specific state requirements vary, but expect your foster child to have their own bed. Some states allow foster children to share a bedroom with other same-sex kids as long as they have their own bed. Bunk beds would be an acceptable option in a shared room.

Foster families often report that a solo bedroom offers both privacy and healthy independence for foster youth. Your own children may also feel uncomfortable sharing their room with others, including a new foster child. 

What Health Conditions Can Disqualify Me from Becoming a Foster Parent? 

The Home Study process assesses prospective foster parents' physical and mental health. It seeks to answer whether you are fit and prepared to be a foster or adoptive parent.

The most significant health requirement is that you must have the time and energy to care for a foster child. Foster parenting requires the daily demands of providing child care and a flexible schedule to manage your child's needs. 

Most health conditions won't prevent you from adopting or becoming a foster parent. Unless your condition affects your ability to care for a child, it is unlikely to disqualify you from fostering. 

Do I Need to Have a Car to Foster a Child?

Foster parents must have access to reliable transportation.

Many states require foster parents to have a valid driver's license and a vehicle with up-to-date insurance. Since this can vary depending on where you live, check your state's foster parent requirements.

Home Study Goals

Home Study is an important part of the foster parent approval and licensing process. Three primary goals of the Home Study are:

1) Ensure Foster Parent and Family Readiness

Foster care is inherently short-term. Foster families provide care until each child or sibling group is able to safely return to their biological parents. For those who cannot return to their birth family, the goal of foster care is to find an adoptive family for the long term.

As a foster or adoptive parent, you are opening your home to a child in need. Even though they are not your biological child, you must include them as part of your family during their time in foster care.

2) Confirm Home Safety

A home safety inspection is a key part of the Home Study. Homes must meet every safety requirement before foster care approval. Your home inspector will outline requirements for you to meet if needed.

3) Assess Family and Lifestyle Needs to Match with a Child's Needs

While the Home Study can seem daunting at first, the process serves a vital function. It lets your agency representative get to know you and understand your family's goals. In turn, they can match a foster child in need who is most likely to thrive in your home as part of your family and life.

As a foster parent, your responsibilities include supporting your child and ensuring they are safe, healthy, and happy. Your agency representative is your partner in making a good match, supporting your goals and your child's best interest.

Responsibilities of a Foster Parent

You can help and support children and families in many ways, including becoming a foster parent. Even when time together is short, foster parents can impact a child's life. Foster families provide safe, stable, and nurturing homes for children. As a foster parent, you must support your child at home, in school, and in court proceedings.

You will often need to work with the birth family. You, and sometimes your child's biological parents, are part of a care team. In addition, your team includes your agency representative, legal professionals, and your local Department of Social Services. 

Becoming a foster or adoptive parent means taking on a new role with extra responsibilities. Interviews with you and your family during the Home Study ensure you have the time and energy to follow this path. 

The Home Study assesses your ability to meet expectations:

• Provide a safe home for foster or adoptive children
• Attend to physical and emotional health needs
• Support their education and academic success
• Facilitate time to maintain birth-parent relationships
• Help your child navigate challenges

To complete the Home Study, you and some family members must:

• Participate in interviews
• Clear a criminal background check
• Attend meetings
• Complete all required training hours
• Develop and improve your parenting skills
• Be flexible and complete every step of the approval process

How Does the Home Study Help Match Me with a Foster Child?

One of the main purposes of the Home Study is to make sure your family and foster child are a good match. 

Interviews with you and key members of your family will review your goals for fostering and adoption. Your interviewer will ask questions to understand your family history, support network, parenting style, and lifestyle. They will also check on your employment, access to income, financial information, and ability to support your family.

Each part of the Home Study process ensures that the foster or adoptive family and your child will be a good fit.

Parts of the Home Study Process

The Home Study is a process that breaks down into several sections. Each part helps your agency's social worker or foster advocate evaluate your ability to care for a foster child.

Four key parts of the Home Study process include: 

Pre-Certification Training: Some states lead training separately from the Home Study process. Training sessions are free to prospective foster and adoptive parents in either case. States require varying hours of training and topics.

As a single parent, you, your spouse, and your partner can schedule training to work with your other life responsibilities. You will be able to reschedule and complete any missed session. Your agency partner will teach you about the process, answer your questions, and walk you through every step.

Documentation: The Home Study will validate the detailed information you provide on your foster parent application. This time-consuming verification will also ensure all applicable family members clear a criminal background check.

In-Home Visit: Your agency representative will visit your home at least once during the Home Study. During their visit, you and key family members will participate in interviews. This is an excellent opportunity for your representative to understand your parenting goals and family lifestyle.

This is another opportunity to ask questions that help you decide about your foster and adoption journey. This part of the Home Study typically takes only a few hours.

Home Safety Inspection: A safety specialist conducts the home inspection. They receive training to spot obvious hazards and less noticeable potential health and safety risks. You must have working smoke detectors, good ventilation, and adequate heating or cooling for your region's seasons.

How Long Will the Home Study Take? 

The Home Study timeframe depends on your flexible schedule to complete administrative paperwork and schedule appointments. Most Home Studies take 90-120 days to complete each section. These include: 

• Interview(s)
• Home visit(s)
• Safety inspection
• Criminal background check (for you and every adult in your household)
• Health exams and medical reports
• Financial statements or proof of income

In some states, individuals must complete foster parent training as part of the Home Study. Others consider it a separate part of the approval and licensing process.

It takes time for your family and agency representative to work through each stage of the process. You'll work closely with your social worker or foster advocate during this time. During this time, you can research and ask questions.

Foster Children Need You

As a foster parent, you will change the life of a child and support them through one of the most difficult times in their young life. The experience of guiding and nurturing a child or teenager will forever touch your life. Too many foster children need a reliable adult and a safe, stable family home.

The foster care and adoption Home Study process is the best way to ensure your foster child's safety and well-being.

Don't spend your energy worrying about the Home Study process. Instead, consider it one more way to ensure that becoming a foster or adoptive family is the right path for you. Your agency representative will support you every step of the way. You will have the opportunity to work through any challenges to help you prepare to welcome a child into your home and your family.

Talk to a child-placing agency today for additional information about Home Study preparation. Start with free foster parent orientation if you're ready. Rest assured, a foster child who needs you will be waiting.