LEGAL LANGUAGE SERVICES

The Home Study Report

The above steps will usually conclude with the writing of a home study report that shows the social worker's findings. Home study reports are often used to assist in matching your family with a waiting child.

Home study reports generally include all the above-mentioned topics with any or all of the following types of information:

• Family background. Descriptions of the prospective parents' childhoods, past and current relationships with parents and siblings, and any important events and losses.
• Education/employment. Prospective parents' current educational level, and any plans to further their education, as well as their employment status, history, and plans.

• Relationships. If the prospective parents are a couple, the report may cover their history and their current relationship. If the prospective applicant is single, there will be information about their social life, as well as information about their network of relatives and friends.

• Daily life. A typical weekday or weekend, plans for child care (if prospective parents work outside the home), hobbies, and interests.

• Parenting. Prospective parents' past experiences with children and their plans regarding discipline and other parenting issues.

• Neighborhood. Description of the prospective parents' neighborhood.

• Religion. Information about the prospective parents' religion, level of religious practice, and what kind of religious upbringing (if any) they plan to provide for the child.

• Approval/recommendation. The home study report will conclude with a summary and the social worker's recommendation. This often includes the age range and number of children for which the family is recommended.

Prospective parents will also be asked to provide copies of any applicable birth certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees. If it is a concern of yours, you may want to ask the agency about the confidentiality of the home study report and to what extent your information will be shared. Agency policies vary, depending on the type of agency and type of adoption. In some cases, the information may also be shared with birth parents or others.