What are some common myths and concerns associated with the home study process?
A. When first thinking about the in-home visit portion of the adoption home study, many families envision an outsider snooping through every cabinet and drawer and performing the “white glove treatment” on all countertops, hoping to uncover anything with which to indict the adoptive family. This simply is not true. The home study social worker is on your team and wants nothing more than to facilitate the placement of a child in your home. In the early stages of the adoption process, it is easy for the adoptive family to view the home study social worker as a foe or an intruder, but those feelings often change after the initial telephone call with the home study social worker. During the home study, the social worker is your ally, whom you can ask any question to guarantee your home and your family is ready for the child. The home study social worker has two main goals during the in-home visit. The first goal is to ensure that the home is safe for the child, and the second is to make su
