Home Study

Regardless if your family is pursuing domestic or international adoption, a favorable home study recommendation is required.  The report summarizes the family’s preparation, motivation to adopt, family history, and other required documentation such as background checks and personal references, all of which are used to determine if the family is able to legally, financially, and emotionally support the child(ren) they may adopt.

Generally, after registering with the agency, the social worker will begin guiding you through family preparation, and will walk you through gathering required paperwork.  Be prepared to provide documentation such as birth and marriage certificates, household income (tax forms) and expenses, physical exams, and a list of four personal references.  Additionally, the social worker will ask you to complete a “self-study” in which you write about your life now, your plans for adoption, and your family history.  She will also help you navigate the process of the various background checks that are required for every member of the household. 

Once paperwork has begun, the social worker will schedule at least two interview sessions with the family, at least one of which will be held in your home. During the home visit, she will verify that your home meets Indiana’s requirements for a safe, healthy home environment.

Unfortunately, the thought of the home study strikes fear in the hearts of many would-be adoptive parents.  Rest assured, there will be no “white glove” inspection. Although there are a few things that will make a family or person ineligible for adoption, most issues that come up can be corrected or clarified prior to the final report being written. Our social workers are well aware that no family is “perfect,” and want to help families do what it takes to be the best they can be for their growing family.

Here's what one family recently had to say about their experience with family preparation and home study:

“I wanted to thank you for making our homestudy process such an easy one.  I have talked to a colleague recently who is going through her homestudy and it sounds like a nightmare!  I guess we were lucky we found the Lampion Center.”

 

 

Lampion Center
655 S Hebron Avenue
Evansville, IN 47714
Phone (812) 471-1776 • Fax (812) 469-2000