Families wishing to adopt a child from an foreign country must successfully complete a home study investigation conducted by a licensed/authorized adoption agency in their state of residence. This agency must be Hague accredited or be supervised the Primary Provider agency who is Hague accredited and is working in the country you are adopting from. Family Connections, Inc. is an authorized adoption agency in New York State that is Hague Accredited and has been conducting home study investigations for New York families adopting internationally for almost twenty nine years. The Agency supports families adopting from around the globe. Family Connections is a Primary Provider for the countries of Belize, Bulgaria, Honduras, Hungary, Jamaica, Pakistan and Ukraine. Family Connections, Inc. has helped children in more than twenty countries successfully transition into their forever family.
So why must you complete a home study? The country from which you are adopting requires that your family be investigated and approved to adopt a child(ren) from their country. In addition, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services requires a home study approval to allow you to adopt and then immigrate a child into the United States.
So why must the home study investigation be completed by a Hague Accredited Agency or supervised by a Primary Provider agency? Effective July 14, 2014 the federal Universal Accreditation Act requires that ALL prospective adoptive families wishing to adopt a child from a Convention OR Non-Convention country must have their home study conducted by an agency that has achieved Hague accreditation or one that is supervised by your Primary Provider agency who is Hague accredited.
So what is the purpose of a home study investigation?
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To prepare the prospective adoptive parents for the addition of a child(ren) to their family through adoption.
The home study social worker will discuss such things as child development, attachment, transitioning the child into the family, life-long adoption matters, trans-racial and trans-cultural adoption issues, separation and loss, the impact of institutional care on a child’s medical and developmental needs, social/medical/genetic history, etc. The social worker will also refer the family to needed adoption training, provide a listing of appropriate adoption literature, and connect the family to adoption support networks and/or other families who have adopted in the same manner as their adoption plan.
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To ensure that an adopted child would be safe and nurtured in the prospective adoptive parents’ home.
The social worker is responsible to ensure that any child placed in the family’s home for adoption will be loved and safe. The social worker will assess the prospective adoptive family’s parenting skills, home safety, history of child abuse and maltreatment, history of criminal activity, financial stability, social, family, and educational history, family and social network of support for adoption and parenting, stability of marriage and/or life partnership, health status, and other risk factors.
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To explore your adoption plan so the adoption agency can properly assist your family and so the home study investigation report can accurately state your adoption wishes.
The social worker will discuss with the family their plans for adoption regarding gender of child(ren), age of child(ren), ethnicity of child(ren), country of origin, and any special needs of the child(ren). This will allow the social worker to help the family choose an adoption plan that is the “right fit” for their family. This will also ensure that the home study investigation report will properly approve the family for their specific adoption plan.
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To understand the essence of who you and your family are so that the adoption agency can support your needs and the home study investigation report effectively reflects who you are.
The social worker will assess the family’s social and educational history, family structure, parenting history, availability of support networks (family, friends, and adoption support groups), and knowledge of adoption. This will help the social worker provide necessary support and education to the family. It will also ensure that the family’s home study investigation report appropriately reflects the family.
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To prepare the prospective adoptive parents for the adoption process.
The home study social worker will explore with the family the adoption process, the risks and unknowns inherent in adoption, expenses, potential challenges, and possible delays associated with adoption. The social worker will also discuss the adoption procedures involved with international adoption including, working with an international adoption placement agency, Citizenship and Immigration Services approval, dossier development, child referral, travel to country, adoption of child, immigration into the United States, and post-adoption supervision.
Family Connections, Inc. conducts home studies for New York State adoptive families who are planning to adopt internationally. Family Connections also is Primary Provider for the countries of Belize, Bulgaria, Honduras, Hungary, Jamaica, Pakistan and Ukraine. We would be honored to support your home study needs. Please contact Renee or Anita at 1-800-535-5556 or renee@adoptfamilyconnections.org. To learn more about the home study investigation process you can download the Agency's Home Study Guide below.
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