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A Guide to Home Study Investigations for Prospective Adoptive Parents in New York State

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THE ADOPTION HOME STUDY A Guide to Home Study Investigations for Prospective Adoptive Parents in New York State Produced by Family Connections, Inc. (May 2013) An Authorized New York State Adoption Agency 156 Port Watson Street, P.O. Box 5555 Cortland, New York 13045 607-756-6574 or 1-800-535-5556 [email protected]; www.adoptfamilyconnections.org A Guide to Adoption Home Study Investigations A GUIDE TO THE GUIDE Who Needs to Complete a Home Study? …………………………….. 3 What are Some Tips for a Successful Home Study? ……………….... 4 Who Can Conduct a Home Study? …………………………………… 5 What is the Purpose of a Home Study? ………………………………. 6 What are the Home Study Qualifications for Prospective Adoptive Parents? ………………………………………. 9 What are the Components of a Home Study? ……………………….. 14 What to Expect with a Home Visit? ……………………………….… 17 What is the Home Study Process and Typical Time for Completion? ………………………………………. 18 What is the Home Study Investigation Report? ..……………………. 20 2 A Guide to Adoption Home Study Investigations WHO NEEDS TO COMPLETE A HOME STUDY? Any individual or couple who wishes to adopt a child (birth through 21 years domestically; birth through 16 years internationally) must successfully complete a home study investigation and be approved as an adoptive parent(s). Persons intending to adopt a child through any of the following adoption processes must have a home study investigation conducted: Kinship Adoption - The adoption of child who is biologically related to the prospective adoptive parent(s) (e.g. niece, nephew, grandchild) in the United States or in a foreign country. Step-Parent Adoption - The adoption of the child(ren) of a spouse. Second Parent Adoption - The adoption of the child(ren) of a partner. Foster Care Adoption – The adoption of a child(ren) who is the prospective adoptive family’s foster child(ren) and whose birth parents rights have been terminated by the court and the child(ren) are legally freed for adoption. Public Domestic System Adoption – The adoption of a child(ren) who is in the care of the foster care system, who has been legally freed for adoption, and whose foster parents do not wish to adopt him/her. Private Domestic Agency Adoption – The adoption of a baby with the support and guidance of an authorized/licensed adoption agency. The agency searches, locates, and matches you with a birth parent(s). The birth parent(s) voluntarily surrender their custodial rights to the adoption agency who then places the child in your home for the purpose of adoption. In an agency adoption, the birth parent(s) have 30 days in which to rescind their surrender of the child. The adoptive family receives legal custodial rights to the child upon adoption finalization in the courts. Private Domestic Independent Adoption – The adoption of a baby privately through an agreement between a birth parent(s) and adoptive family. The adoptive family searched, locates and matches with a birth family by themselves. The adoptive family supports the adoption plan and makes arrangements for the adoption with private attorneys. The birth parent(s) voluntarily surrender their custodial rights to the child and the adoptive family is granted guardianship until the adoption is finalized in the courts. In a private independent adoption, the birth parent(s) have 45 days in which to rescind their surrender of the child. 3 A Guide to Adoption Home Study Investigations International (aka Inter-country) Adoption – The adoption of a child(ren) from a foreign country. All international children qualify for adoption as orphans according to the United State’s Citizenship and Immigration Services definition. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL HOME STUDY? It is understandable that the home study investigation process and required paperwork can seem daunting to prospective adoptive parents. Most prospective adoptive parents are very nervous about the home study investigation. To help calm the nerves ... Employ the services of an authorized adoption agency with expertise in home study investigation Have an adoption agency and social worker complete your home study investigation whom you trust and feel comfortable with and confident in Work with an adoption agency and social worker who has experience in the type of adoption you are planning (e.g domestic infant, international, special needs) Have a social worker who is an adoptive parent herself/himself (it may help to have someone who has "walked in your shoes") Remind yourself that the home study investigation is not only to ensure the safety of a child in your home but to also prepare you and support you as you become an adoptive parent Know that your social worker and adoption agency want you to be successful and are there to help you through the process Some prospective adoptive parents can be overwhelmed by the home study investigation process and paperwork requirements. To help work through the process … Organize: Make a list of the required steps in the process and the required home study documents. Take this list and organize it by who needs to complete the step or document (e.g. father, mother, adult household member, reference, medical provider) and when it needs to be completed. Assign Tasks: The home study process is for the whole family and no one person should be responsible for the process or paperwork. Give each person (e.g. mom, dad, adult household member) their own responsibilities and assign them tasks to complete (e.g. make medical appointments, obtain bank records, complete adoption surveys). Prioritize: The home study provider should provide the family with information regarding the time it takes to complete a task (e.g. it takes 2 weeks to get a fingerprint appointment or it may take a month to obtain a child abuse history report or getting a passport can take 6 weeks). Then decide what to do first, second, third, etc. 4 A Guide to Adoption Home Study Investigations Chunk: Completing the required steps and paperwork in one setting is an impossible task. So once organized and prioritized, divide up the requirements and work on it in chunks. For example, one night contact references to request recommendation letters, the next day write the autobiography, then gather financial documents, and so on. Set Goals and Deadlines: Determine when you wish to complete your home study investigation and then set small goals and deadlines for each task to ensure that you finish your home study investigation within the timeframe you planned (of course plan for unexpected paperwork glitches). MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENJOY THE PROCESS! A home study investigation is the first step in a family’s adoption journey and it should be an educational and enlightening experience. It is a wonderful beginning that will bring the joy of a child into a forever, loving family. WHO CAN CONDUCT A HOME STUDY IN NEW YORK? In New York State, home study investigations are usually conducted by authorized private Adoption Agencies (aka voluntary agencies), public Departments of Social Services, private Licensed Master or Clinical Social Workers, or individuals or organizations approved by a local court to conduct home study investigations. Authorized private Adoption Agencies (e.g. Family Connections, Inc.) can complete home study investigations for prospective adoptive parents involved in any type of adoption. The Department of Social Service usually only conducts home study investigations needed for public foster care adoptions. Licensed social workers and individuals or organizations approved by a local court can only perform home study investigations for prospective adoptive parents who can become pre-qualified as adoptive parents by their county’s family court (e.g. private domestic independent adoption, kinship adoption). In New York State, Adoption Agencies are authorized by the Office of Children and Family Services. Family Connections, Inc. has been an authorized adoption agency in New York State since 1994. Family Connections and other authorized adoption agencies can conduct home study investigations and approve individuals as adoptive parents for ALL types of adoptions, including: . Kinship Adoption . Step-Parent Adoption . Second Parent Adoption . Foster Care Adoption . Public Domestic System Adoption . Private Domestic Agency Adoption . Private Domestic Independent Adoption . International (aka Inter-country) Adoption Every county in New York State has a Department of Social Services. Caseworkers in the county’s Department of Social Services where the prospective adoptive parents live can complete home study investigations for families wishing to 5 A Guide to Adoption Home Study Investigations adopt from the United State’s public adoption system including foster care adoption or public domestic system adoption. Social Workers in New York State are licensed by the State University of New York, the Department of the Professions as either Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). Licensed social workers may conduct home study investigations for kinship, step-parent, second parent, and private domestic independent adoptions. Please understand that private licensed social workers are not able to approve individuals as adoptive parents; they can only recommend families for approval by the Court. Private licensed social workers are unable to obtain the child abuse history reports and criminal history reports needed to approve individuals as adoptive parents. Private social workers do not have legal authority to approve an applicant as an adoptive family. Thus, if prospective adoptive parents choose to use a private licensed social worker, they will be required to petition their county’s Family Court to become pre-qualified (approved; aka pre-certified) as adoptive parents. Individuals or Organizations Approved by a Local Court may conduct home study investigations at the request/order of the court. If ordered by the court, the approved individual or organization may conduct home study investigations for kinship, step-parent, second parent, and private domestic independent adoptions. These individuals or organizations do not have legal authority to approve an applicant as an adoptive family.
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