After you have chosen your adoption agency and signed a contract with them, the next step is to get started on your home study. Although the home study culminates with an actual in-home visit by a social worker, there is also a great deal of paperwork and educational hours to complete. Some adoption agencies are also licensed to perform home studies in the state in which they reside. In our case, our adoption agency was not licensed to do home studies in our state, so they recommended a home study only agency to work with.

Home study requirements vary according to what state you live in and what country you are adopting from. The number of times you will be required to meet with your home study agency and the paperwork required will depend on where you live. For the most part, though, the home study process is pretty straightforward. Everyone over the age of 18 living in your household will need to be a part of the process. You will need to be fingerprinted, complete an autobiography, turn in financial records and personal and professional references. Some states require you sign a document stating that you are aware that corporal punishment is against the law.

Most first time home study applicants will be required to complete educational training. This may consist of classes offered by your home study agency at their office or online. Some consist of completing a reading list of adoption related books and discussing them.

After your paperwork and education has been completed you will have your actual home visit, where a social worker will come to your home to interview you. This is an extremely nerve wracking event for prospective adoptive parents, but the majority of all social workers are not looking for ways to deny your application. They are there to educate you as well as answer your questions. They are looking to see that you will be fit parents and will provide a safe and stable home for a child.

After your home visit, your home study report will be typed up and sent to you for proofing. If your home study agency is not your placement agency, be sure that it’s sent to your placement agency for proofing as well. You agency will be able to provide your home study agency with the proper terminology and specifications that should be found in your home study that will be sent to Viet Nam. The bottom line is that the report will state that you are approved to adopt a specific age, sex (if chosen) and special needs (if chosen) child from Viet Nam. Your placement agency will take it from here.

Next we’ll discuss the US Citizenship and Immigration Documents involved in a Vietnamese adoption.

More Reading:
Choosing a Viet Nam Adoption Agency
Deciding to Adopt from Viet Nam
Making the Decision to Adopt