Home Study Interviews: Preparing for Your Adoption

By Megan Kostraba

Choosing to adopt and add to your family is a wonderful choice! Entering this stage in your life, and making the decision to adopt, is an exciting process. What may seem less than exciting, however, may be thinking about all the processes that surround adoption. Adoption is known to be a lengthy process with lots of documentation and paperwork. However, the end is always worth it!

First, it’s important to understand that all the processes that are about to occur in your life are necessary. We want to guarantee that your child will grow up in a happy, healthy, loving environment. A home study interview is the first step towards adopting! Adoption agencies will conduct these interviews and begin building your future family. 

What is a Home Study Interview, and Why is it Important? 

Adoption agencies, like Adoption Choices of Kansas & Missouri, conduct home study interviews with hopeful prospective parents. Ultimately, the purpose of this interview is to observe and gather information about the prospective family, help and prepare them for adoption, and evaluate the environment. These interviews are a step in the adoption process where an adoption consultant/specialist will come to your home and assess it. 

Besides just observing the potential environment and home, the specialist will also conduct interviews with all the family members. This helps us gather some information about personal characteristics and if the prospective family is suited for adoption. The specialist will also go through some important records, such as health and financial documents. To be prepared, gathering all of this information—as well as some personal references—ahead of your interview time is recommended.

The Home Study is not a Test

It’s essential to understand that these interviews are not a test—there are no grades for “best home” or “best adoptive family”! Keep in mind, it is a process that shows the specialist the daily life you and your family live and the ways you interact together. The specialist is there to professionally conduct the interviews and determine if your family is ready for adoption. 

This process and all the details that follow may seem stressful and harrowing at first. The best thing you can do is be understanding and be prepared. Understanding that the home environment is a necessary and integral component of the adoption process is the first step to this! Home study interviews help us ensure that the adoption is secure and stable and that the child is placed with loving and caring people. 

How to be Prepared for a Home Study Interview

Adoption Choices of Kansas and Missouri offers home study interviews both domestically and internationally. So, there is no need to worry about traveling or keeping a schedule for the interview; our specialist will come right to your door! 

There is a process for the home study interview, which does take a few weeks to complete in its entirety. You can expect a 5-step process that we will help guide you through. As said above, you can anticipate the specialist to assess your home and interactions with other family members. You can also expect the specialist to go through your financial records, including tax forms, pay stubs, health/life insurance documentation, W-2 forms, and any papers regarding debts or investments. There is no need to concern yourself about having a certain amount of money to adopt—this is not a test to see how wealthy you are. Our goal is to make sure that by working together, all parties feel comfortable that you are responsible for your finances. 

What else?

All of this documentation also includes health forms. This is because we want to ensure that members of the adoptive family are healthy and ready to receive a new child in the home. Be prepared to have proof of a physical exam updated within the last 12 months. You are also required to submit a Tuberculosis test. Any other documentation should include birth certificates for you and your family, as well as any necessary legal documents that could impact the adoption (like a marriage license or divorce papers). 

For the mothers and families who are considering placing a baby up for adoption, it’s also important to understand the steps that adoptive families go through too. We want you to feel comfortable placing your baby with an adoptive family, knowing that they are secure, healthy, and happy. These home study interviews are conducted with your child in mind, making sure that they will grow up comfortably, surrounded by loving people. If you are considering adoption for your child, please know that we hold everyone’s best interest at heart and will help all parties throughout the process.  

The Home Study Interview Checklist

If you’re ready to adopt and have your home study interview coming up, that’s wonderful! We are ready to help you through that by providing a home study checklist of all the materials you should have prepared. 

Required Documents: 

• Identification (like a driver’s license)
• Birth certificates
• Social security cards 
• Marriage certificate (only if married) 
• Divorce papers (if divorced) 
• Proof of citizenship/legal immigration 
• Proof of income, employment, and insurance
• Medical and immunization records 
• Pet vaccination records from vet (if needed) 
• An autobiographical statement 
• A list of references (reference letters included) 

Orientation, Training, and Clearances: 

• Criminal background check 
• Foster care licensing 
• Special needs training 
• FBI clearance 
• Sex offender clearance 
• Parenting courses 
• Cultural diversity classes
• Child abuse and neglect clearance 
• CPR/First Aid certification 

Home Inspection Necessities: 

• Functioning alarms (smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors) 
• Child gates on stairs 
• Covered electrical outlets 
• Secure windows (locked with screens) 
• First aid kits with easy access 
• Any firearms out of reach and locked away 
• Functioning heating and cooling
• No lead paint 
• A secure yard with guardrails surrounding decks or pools
• Safe and functioning appliances 
• Child-proof corners on furniture 

Alongside this checklist, you will also have to answer some questions during the interview process. These questions focus on why you wish to adopt, how you will parent your child, and the lifestyle you live. You can prepare for these questions like you would for a job interview and find a list of potential questions at Adoption Choices of Missouri. 

Making the Choice to Adopt in Kansas and Missouri

Choosing adoption for both expectant mothers and prospective families can be a difficult one. There are lots of steps and processes to follow, which can be stressful! We want to assure you that our adoption agency will ensure both parties involved have the best adoption plan. We will help guide you through this and ensure that the child lives in a happy environment. 

Whether you are pregnant and considering adoption, or a prospective parent looking to adopt, there are agencies in Missouri that can help. Reach out to one of our offices, and we can get you started on the right path.