Home Study

 Adoption home study

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

·         A home study or homestudy is a screening of the home and life of prospective adoptive parents prior to allowing an adoption to take place. In some places, and in all international adoptions, a home study is required by law^[1][2]. Even where it is not legally mandated, it may be required by an adoption agency. Depending on the location and agency, different information may be sought during a home study.

·         A home study can be used both to aid the prospective parents in preparing to raise an adoptive child, and to rule out those who are not fit to be parents^[3].

·         The ultimate purpose of a home study is for the benefit of the child, not the parents. Therefore, screeners are instructed to be thorough in their examinations^[4]

·         There is a typically a cost to a home study, which is usually several hundred to several thousand US dollars. In most cases, the prospective adoptive parents are responsible to cover the cost.

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·         Information

·         The types of information that may be sought from a home study include the determination if there is abuse in the past, family background, employment history a criminal background check of the prospective parents, a credit check, medical records, and an examination of the home^[5][6].

·         A home study, as its name implies, examines the dwelling of the prospective parents. Factors that may be taken into account include the cleanliness and condition of the home, fire safety, sanitation, and the well-being of the neighborhood where the home is located.

·         Factors pertaining to the people may include their desire to adopt, their understanding of the relationship between adoptive parents and children, and their willingness to share with an adopted child the fact that they are adopted.

·         Criticism of home studies

·         Home studies are criticized by many who feel they are intrusive, or who feel that there may be discriminaton against certain people who are perfectly capable of parenting, but are ruled out due to various issues.

I, personally, do not have ANY criticism’s of a HOME STUDY. In fact, I feel quite the opposite – This is a very much needed assessment to insure families can emotionally, financially, physically, and spiritually handle all the different aspects that an adoption may bring. There are SO many unknowns. I am glad that Jesus will be holding our hands the entire time. :)

We enjoyed our Home Study with Diane.  I believe she will be a great resource once our sweetie is here and if we have any questions about stuff.  We won’t see her now until we have brought back our little one and then she will come at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and a year.

As much paperwork that is turned in, you can only tell so much about a person or family. – I feel like this was an opportunity for Diane to see our Character - Mine, Erik’s and the girls and how we ‘work’ as a family.  It was fun to discuss my childhood, teens, dating, marriage, children, etc – with her.  It reminded me so much of the things in my life that were great and those things that were hard - those things that helped shape me into the person I am today.  I thank God for the life lessons I have learned, how he taught them to me and the people he has placed in my life.  I am a work in progress and I am excited to see how God continues to mold, shape and use me.

We will look forward to receiving a finalized Home Study so that we can add it to our Dossier.  One step closer…

 

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, " Abba! Father!"

Romans 8:23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Psalm 82:3 “Give justice to the poor and the orphan;uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.

Ephesians 1:3 [ The God of Glory ] How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Ephesians 1:5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Psalm 27:10 Although my father and my mother have forsaken me, yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child]

Romans 8:23 And that's not all. We have the Holy Spirit as the promise of future blessing. But we also groan inside ourselves as we look forward to the time when God will adopt us as full members of his family. Then he will give us everything he has for us. He will raise our bodies and give glory to them.

It seems like a natural thing to do, adopt, that is – since we all were....  I thank God that he adopted me into his family!! I am SO looking forward to experiencing adoption and LOVING on our little girl or girls? :)