Click here for downloadable Home Study applications

You will be prompted for a username and password. Just call us for a short intake and we will provide those to you.

It was once thought that the big challenge was passing a home study. We know that most people “pass” their home studies with ease, and actually enjoy the process and confess to really learning something new and relevant. We conduct home studies with respect and openness and proudly work with single parents, non-traditional families and traditional families alike. It is typically a six to eight week process that consists of three parts:

• Gathering Paperwork. Supporting documents like birth/marriage certificates, financial records, medical records, reference etc. are required by California Department of Social Services. We will give you plenty of instruction to make this part as painless as possible!

• Completing Education. All of our families will have the benefit our ‘Attachment in Adoption’ seminar, and further classes may be required depending on the type of adoption you are pursuing. ADOPT emphasizes the in-person class setting because (i) the better we know you the better adoption we can create and (ii) getting to know other adoptive families is an important part of the process. For international adoptions you will be covering 10 hours and 11 topics that will give you a thorough understanding of international adoption process, child backgrounds, child development, transracial and transcultural issues, creating attachment, family adjustment and many more issues. Domestic educational programs focus on relationships with birth mothers, future contact agreements, attachment and an optional transracial piece.

• Meetings with your social worker. The study includes discussing topics of financial stability, current health status, criminal histories, family support, understanding of adoption (domestic or international), your commitments to helping your child understand their histories, and your specific request for a child. These discussions are meant to helpful, NOT judgemental. Your social worker is an excellent source of knowledge and support that we want you to take complete advantage of throughout the entire adoption process.

The Home Study will include a final “approval,” that specifies the age, health and ethnicity of the child you want to adopt. Your approval is valid for 1 year.