As the first step in the adoption process, the home study can bring up many emotions, from the excitement of beginning the adoption journey to feeling nervous about the process. Typically, a home study includes paperwork and documentation, a precise background check, interviews with household members, and a visit to your home.
Even though this may seem like a lot, you can get through the home study process in record time.
Here are 7 proven ways to finish your home study quickly:
1. Make sure you’re both committed to the process
First of all, it’s crucial that both of you are committed to your adoption. It’s your home study provider’s goal to place children in loving, accepting homes. But family dynamics can be strained when one spouse is more dedicated than the other.
In addition, if just one parent is committed, the other tends to procrastinate about finishing the necessary paperwork and setting appointments.
2. Compile a list of required documents
Since some of the required documents for your home study might require additional time to obtain, we recommend that you start working on those first.
As an example, you’ll need to gather personal documents, like copies of your driver’s license, marriage and birth certificates. It can take awhile to request copies of these from the appropriate government departments if you don’t have these documents on hand. Some documents, such as your financial statement, will require notarizations.
Please check with your home study provider, because requirements vary state by state. Make sure to verify with them which documents are necessary to submit for your home study.
3. Schedule appointments as soon as possible
Most home studies will require a signed physician’s statement regarding your health. In addition, you’ll need to schedule a visit to an authorized authority so that you can get fingerprinted. So that these appointments don’t become a bottleneck in finishing your home study, schedule them right away.
4. Complete your paperwork online
Find a home study provider who will accept home study applications via e-forms. If you can complete your paperwork online, you may be able to finish it all within a week. Hopeful adoptive parents who complete paper forms typically take a few months to finish.
5. Give your references a heads-up
Most home study applications require reference letters from your family and friends. We recommend choosing your references early on in the home study process since it’ll take time to get the reference letters returned.
Once you’ve chosen your references, let them know they’ll receive a reference request. Kindly ask them to submit it as quickly as they can. That’s because missing reference letters are often the last hold-ups to completing a home study.
6. Dedicate time to work on this
Try to set aside some time in your schedule just for completing your home study application. The questions on the application should be pretty straightforward, so you just need to make some time to do this. Try setting aside a couple of hours each day to power through the application.
7. Check your home before the home visit
After you’ve completed the paperwork, the next step in the home study process is to schedule a home visit and interviews with a social worker.
Even though your social worker will give you an opportunity to fix any potential safety hazards before finishing their report, taking care of all safety hazards before their initial visit will expedite the overall process.
Lifetime Adoption Agency provides affordable home study services in Florida.
You can learn more by calling 727-493-0933 or visiting our Adoption Home Study page.
You can learn more by calling 727-493-0933 or visiting our Adoption Home Study page.
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