International Homestudy & Post Placement
We provide professional home studies and post placement services for families residing in Florida. We also provide post placement supervision for all families while they are in Florida awaiting ICPC or passport documents.
Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. can complete your international home study once you have a primary provider in place, which is the agency that will be assisting with the incoming placement of your child. We complete international home studies in accordance with the State of Florida, United States Citizen and Immigration Services and the country of origin of the child being adopted. For domestic adoptions, Florida requires monthly post placement supervision until the final hearing of adoption. For international adoptions, Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. complies with the required post placement schedule set forth by the child’s country of origin.
International Home Study Process and Post Placement
Once you have arranged to work with an international adoption agency, contact us to conduct your international home study.
What is a Home Study All About?
Basically, a home study involves assessment and education. The social worker, on behalf of the adoption agency, wants to make sure of two things: You are suited to be an adoptive parent, and you have an appropriate place to raise a child. The home study lets the adoption agency get to know you while you learn more about the adoption process. The entire home study process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on how quickly the meetings with your social worker can be arranged and how quickly you can gather all the necessary information.
What Happens During a Home Study?
During a home study, you will meet with your social worker several times. A home study usually includes separate interviews for you, your spouse, any other adults in the home and/or children in the home. At least one meeting with the social worker happens in your home. The home visit gives the social worker a chance to see where your child will be living. The home study includes: Family financial history; criminal background checks, child abuse registry checks for all countries and states any adult member of the household has resided in since the age of 18; complete physical exams; and written references. Your social worker will explore the following topics during your discussions: The family background of you and your spouse; your approach to parenting and discipline; marital and other relationships; any divorces in your past; infertility (if applicable); and type of child/children you wish to adopt and why.
Forms, Forms, Forms
You will be asked to complete a comprehensive application and provide numerous forms to substantiate your home study. A checklist of forms will be provided in your application packet. Most of the forms will also be needed by your primary provider for your dossier as well.
Completion of Study
Once your home study is complete, it is then reviewed by the primary agency and once approved by the primary agency it is ready to be signed. Once signed, you will be provided with numerous originals to submit to immigration and for your dossier.
Post Placements
Once you have either adopted a child/ren in a foreign country and returned to the United States your primary provider will give you a post placement supervision visit schedule. Our agency will conduct the post placement visits which will consists of meeting with you and your child/ren and report back to the primary on the following: general appearance of child; physical health; motor development, eating and sleeping habits, adjustment in new environment, assessment of placement.
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COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT HOME STUDY AND POST PLACEMENT
A home study is an assessment of prospective adoptive parents to see if they are suitable for adopting a child. The home study report is a summary of this assessment, which is required at the State level for domestic adoptions, and additionally at the Federal level for international adoptions.
A home study is completed by agency staff in compliance with state and/or federal regulations or in accordance with the country you intend to adopt.
You can expect to meet with your caseworker at least three or four times. These interviews are conversational in nature, and useful for gathering pertinent information for the home study assessment. We will consider a whole host of topics ranging from your personal and family history to your motivation and understanding of adoption. You can expect that at least one visit will take place in your home and each interview may last two to three hours in length. The caseworker will also meet with anyone else living in your home at least one time.
In addition to the interviews, you will need to gather such things as personal reference letters, employment verification, medical examination summaries, background clearances, and financial statements. You will be completing several forms as well, including a financial status worksheet, social history questionnaires, a profile data sheet, and information on a guardianship plan. The caseworker will guide you through it all!
You will start by completing a preliminary application and being assigned to a caseworker. The caseworker will get you started on the paperwork and schedule the interviews with you. You will also be required to complete several hours of adoption-specific training. Your caseworker will give you specific requirements, which may be a combination of online trainings, videos, books, and articles. Additionally, you will be required to complete criminal and child abuse background clearances, provide various government issued documents, such as but not limited to, photo ID, passport, certificates of citizenship, etc.
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Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc.
Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that is Hague Accredited to complete international adoptions. In addition to international work, we promote adoption education through our dedication to assisting families facing an unplanned pregnancy by providing resources and support. Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc. also works to provide grants to families needing assistance with the costs of adoption, when possible.