Choosing a Home Study Provider
We know from years of experience, both as an adoption agency and as home study providers, that having a good home study provider can make your adoption process go much more smoothly. Providers vary widely with regard to their fees, what those fees cover, qualifications, willingness to accommodate to the paperwork necessary for various countries, etc. Accordingly, we’ve developed these questions that you might want to ask anyone whom you’re interviewing to be your home study provider. Doing so will establish a solid foundation for your relationship with your provider and help avoid any unpleasant surprises down the road.
Does this provider have experience writing
home studies for international adoptions?
Agencies and providers who do mostly home studies for domestic adoptions may be unaware of the required elements of an international home study. Consequently, they may not ask all of the necessary questions, omit information that is required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) or the foreign country, include details that are unnecessary (thus opening the study to misinterpretation by foreign officials and necessitating more work for translators), etc. If you mention the term “CIS” to them and they don’t know what you’re talking about, then they are not the agency for you!
Is the provider willing to sign the Exempt Provider’s
Responsibility Form required by CWA?
This form is part of CWA’s compliance with the regulations of the Hague Treaty on International Adoptions. For some countries, it also has to be submitted to the foreign government. So the provider must be willing to sign it without alterations and return it to CWA. This document is part of the social worker documents in your initial agency packet that you received online.
Is the individual and/or agency licensed?
The CIS and all foreign governments require a copy of the agency’s license, so you want to be certain that the agency is licensed before contracting with them. Also some foreign governments require a copy of the individual worker’s license or the license of the person supervising the worker and signing off on the home study. Check the dossier requirements in your adoption planner to see if an individual license is required for your country, esp. if the provider does not have an individual license.
If the prospective provider is an individual,
are they associated with an agency?
Some countries do not accept home studies submitted by individual providers. This does not mean that the provider has to be employed by an agency. They may be independent contractors who are associated with an agency. They can submit the home study on that agency’s letterhead and include the agency’s license with the home study.
Is the agency a non-profit organization?
Some countries only allow home studies completed by agencies having a non-profit status. CWA is such an agency. If an agency that you interview is a for-profit organization, check the requirements for the country from which you want to adopt to see if that is acceptable.
What are the agency’s fees?
Home study fees vary widely and sometimes it’s difficult to compare costs. In asking about fees, be sure to identify what all is included in their fees and what additional services you may require and the costs for those services. Typically the basic home study fee will include the home visits required for completion of the study, writing the study, sending copies where required (i.e., to you and to CIS). Generally there is an additional travel fee, especially if the worker needs to travel some distance to do the home visit. Travel fees vary greatly, also; some charge so much per mile and others a set rate. You also will need for the provider to complete post adoption reports; the number will depend on the requirements of the country from which you adopt. Providers often separate the post adoption report fees from the initial home study fee. So find out the cost for those.
Sometimes circumstances require that the agency do an addendum or an update to your home study. This could be because of additional questions raised by CIS or the foreign government or because circumstances in your family change, such as a move, a parent moving in with you, etc. An additional fee for such a report is typical; the amount may depend on the extent of work required to complete the document.
Is the provider willing to provide additional forms as required?
Make sure your provider is willing to complete for any forms required as a part of your dossier. They must sign the templates as provided by CWA without amendments or changes. These forms, if required by your country, will be in the dossier section of your adoption planner when you get it. Ask if there is an extra fee for this.
Does the provider have any restrictions on families
they’re willing to approve for adoptions?
Some agencies will not approve a family to adopt a child that’s out of birth order with other children in your family. Or they may not approve you to adopt 2 children at the same time unless those children are siblings. They may not want you to adopt more than one child at a time if you already have children in your home. Think about your desires for your adoption and be sure that the agency does not have a policy against some aspect of what you expect.
What educational resources does the agency provide?
The Hague agreement requires that families have adoption education. Some of this is provided by Christian World Adoption, for example through our requirements that you complete the Adoption Learning Partners courses and read Adoption Parenting. In addition, your home study provider probably has other educational seminars and/or resources that they will require as a part of your home study process. Ask if there are additional fees for the training. It may seem like a lot of work right now, but remember that it’s all designed to insure that you are well educated about your adoption and the special needs of children adopted internationally. That will enable you and your child to adjust to your new lives together and help you to be the best parent you can be. You and your child will benefit for many years to come!
Will the agency allow you to review the final draft
of the home study before they submit it?
CWA always sends the family a draft for review before finalizing the home study. This insures that all names are spelled correctly; dates are accurate, etc. (things that wouldn't be picked up in regular proof-reading because the provider doesn’t have that data memorized or because it’s an unusual spelling of a name). It also corrects any misunderstanding the provider may have about some of the information you gave them. We’ve even had situations where someone gave incorrect information initially because of a typo or not remembering a date correctly!
Sometimes you may disagree with the provider’s interpretation of something or their view of your family. These types of differences in opinion can be discussed with your provider, who may or may not change the home study depending on the situation. But at least you’ve had a chance to discuss the information and be clear about why the study is written the way it is. That helps to maintain your good relationship with your provider and you aren’t blind-sided by something when you get the final report and it includes information that you had not expected.
Will the provider submit a draft of the home study
to your Case Manager for review?
If your Case Manager can review the study prior to its being finalized, she/he can be sure that all of the information required by the foreign government is included and that none of the wording will be misunderstood or raise a red flag for the foreign officials who review it. Again, the case manager is not in a position to tell the home study provider who they should approve or not, but most providers are open to suggestions for changes which avoid problems later.
Will the provider send your completed home study to
the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)?
Some CIS offices, e.g. NC and SC, require that the provider submit the completed home study directly to the CIS office. We’ve heard of other states where this is not a CIS expectation and the provider expects the family to submit the document and licenses to CIS. Either way is fine as long as you are clear about the procedure.
Will the agency provide any post-adoption support services?
While CWA has an adoption counselor who is available to talk by phone with parents about any difficulties that arise once they have their child home, you also may want to see what services are offered by your home study agency. Sometimes it’s nice to have someone closer by with whom you can talk in person if necessary. Some agencies have on-going post adoption support groups. Check out what’s available from the agency you’re considering and what they charge, if anything, for these services.
Finally, remember that your relationship with your provider is a very personal one. The provider has to know about your detailed family background, financial affairs, marital relationship, and relationships with your current children, etc. You want a person with whom you are comfortable sharing intimate details of your life and whom you can trust to treat you with respect. You also want to feel confident that they will treat your information confidentially; sharing it only with those agencies required knowing it as a part of your adoption process. So even when a provider answers all of the above questions satisfactorily, if you don’t feel comfortable with them, choose someone else to be your home study provider! After all, it’s your adoption and your family!
Best wishes as you go through the home study process. It may seem intimidating, at least at first. However, most home study providers want you to fulfill your adoption dream and see themselves in partnership with you to accomplish that goal. So relax and enjoy the process! You may be surprised at what you learn about yourself, your spouse, and the whole adoption process!
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