Before you begin a home study, you should know if you are interested in adopting a newborn, an older child, a child from another country or a relative. This will determine what is needed for the home study. I have a wonderful checklist that is easy to navigate. There are a lot of verifications that are needed for a home study and a checklist makes it easy to collect and not miss anything. I have a wonderful checklist that is easy to navigate. All verifications must be collected before a home study can be completed. It is best to take the time to collect all verifications at the same time as the date on the home study is the completion date and will be used to make your adoption official. All home studies are good for one year. No baby can be placed in your home your home study is expired, even by one day. For example, if your home study is dated August 24, 2017 and you have a match with a birth mom due August 23, 2018, you will need a home study update, as no child will be placed in your home if your home study expires. In the above example, the due date and expiration date are too close, so you should update your home study. A home study update updates all the areas in the home study that expire, such as clearances, financial information and medical information.
The reason it is important to know what kind of adoption you are seeking is because your home study will be tailored to fit your desires. During the home study process you will be able to explore the type of child you want to adopt. You will have to qualify for the child or children you desire. For example, if you want to adopt a newborn, there are certain things you should know, which may be different from adopting an older child. If you are adopting from another country, a Hague agency is needed in order for the adoption to be accepted. If you are adopting from the foster care system in Florida, you will do a home study through the state. If you are interested in adopting a child from foster care in another state, a private home study may work. Because there are so many options, it is important to seek guidance through your home study provider.