What the home study may cover
- Motivation to adopt
- Family relationships and household members
- Physical, mental, and emotional health information
- Criminal and Central Registry history
- Financial stability
- Home environment, safety, and suitability
- Parenting and discipline
- Your support system
- Your readiness to meet a child's needs
Who may be interviewed?
Interviews include prospective adoptive parents, children already in the home, and other household members.
How should I prepare?
For help thinking through the conversations, read how to prepare for adoption home-study interviews. It covers reflection prompts, household arrangements, and questions for your provider.
Complete the home study questionnaire thoroughly, be open and honest throughout the process, and prepare your home to be a safe and welcoming environment for a child.
How long does it take?
Ask your provider how many meetings and visits to plan for, who needs to participate, and how long to reserve for each. Interview time is only one part of the overall assessment.
What happens after the home study?
Your provider can explain report preparation, any follow-up information, and the approval decision for your adoption path. Ask when to expect an update and which steps follow a decision. Completing interviews does not itself establish approval or a matching date.
Organize your documents
Use our home-study document tracker and checklist to plan requests, submissions, and follow-up after you receive the agency’s instructions.