November is National Adoption Month, highlighting how families are made in a nontraditional way. There are a lot of requirements an adoptive family must meet in order to be able to finalize the adoption. One of the most important aspects of the pre-adoption vetting is the adoption home study which is required by every state before the adoption is completed.
Grainne Foley, the mother of two adopted children, explained it to Mom.com like this: “The purpose of the home study is simply to have a professional certify that your home is ok to house a child. They are not there to judge you or make you change your life. That being said, they can also be a huge resource for you at a time when you are feeling very isolated and alone.”
What is an adoption home study?
What happens if you don't pass a home study?
It’s possible to fail the home study for any of a variety of reasons. But in most instances, there is an opportunity to correct any errors before the final report is approved.
“It’s possible that there may be mistakes within your home study. However, families have the chance to review the study prior to approval and they can inform the agency of any errors so they can be corrected,” Bowen continued. “Some people fear their home study will be rejected, but most agencies inform applicants of the state requirements as well as non-negotiables that they wouldn’t be able to approve a family for before you officially start the process.”
What is an ICPC home study?
The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) refers to a law where adoption agencies examine a home in another state prior to placing a child in foster or adoptive care. This law is adopted by every state, thus making it uniform. This usually occurs when a family member in another state is vying to foster or adopt a child. An ICPC home study follows the same guidelines as any other home study.
