Home Study Process
Welcome To Adoptions of Indiana's Home Study Program
The State of Indiana requires that all prospective adoptive parents successfully complete an adoptive home study prior to adopting.
Adoptions of Indiana views the adoptive home study as a time where prospective adoptive parents can learn the dynamics of adoptive families within a supportive environment. ADOPTIONS OF INDIANA’S focus is to educate and support families while compiling needed information for the Courts, USCIS or international adoption agencies. We strive to develop relationships with prospective adoptive parents that are close, supportive, relaxed and genuine in nature so that our families will feel comfortable seeking guidance from us when needed.
What Is A Home Study?
The State of Indiana requires that all prospective adoptive parents successfully complete an adoptive home study prior to adopting. This applies to step-parent and kinship adoptions as well; please talk with your attorney about what type of clearances you will need.
Adoptions of Indiana views the adoptive home study as a time where prospective adoptive parents can learn the dynamics of adoptive families within a supportive environment. Our agency's focus is to educate and support families while compiling needed information for the Courts, USCIS or international adoption agencies. We strive to develop relationships with prospective adoptive parents that are close, supportive, relaxed and genuine in nature so that our families will feel comfortable seeking guidance from us when needed.
Once you indicate you are ready to get started, you will receive access to our online portal, where you will complete the required documents to get started. At this time, you will submit payment and be assigned to a social worker. Your home study will include all required background checks, a medical screening, financial disclosure and home visit. Please review our fee schedule for the costs associated with home studies.
This process is usually completed within 6-10 weeks, depending on the type of study required. The home study process may be expedited when necessary for a child’s welfare. Meetings take place at the offices of Adoptions of Indiana, the client’s home, or at other agreed upon locations. The adoption professionals at Adoptions of Indiana strive to accommodate a variety of family schedules. Evening and weekend appointments are available, though limited.
Upon completion, the formal home study document is prepared. This document is confidential; however, a copy of the document is provided to the adopting family for their review. Other governing bodies, such as Interstate Compact for Placement of Children, USCIS, the Court hearing the adoption, Department of Child Services, or the family’s attorney or placing agency in an international adoption may receive a copy of the document in order to ensure the adoption proceeds as planned.
Types of Home Studies
- Adoptive Home Study
- Step-Parent Home Study
- Kinship/Guardianship Home Study
- Adoptive Clearances Only
(in the case of step-parent or grandparent adoptions, available only if the court waives a full home study) - Embryo Adoptive Home Study
The Home Study Process
An outline of the home study/adoption preparation process is as follows:
- Family requests information from our Contact Us page.
- Family is sent an ID and password access agency documents on Adoptions of Indiana’s digital portal.
- Staff is available for consultation by phone or in person at any time. We will strive to make contact via email or phone.
- Family reviews and completes necessary documents in order to proceed.
- References are sent.
- Agency Adoption Specialist contacts family to schedule orientation and first interview.
- Clearances are completed.
- Couples’ and Family Interviews and Social History Interviews are completed.
- Follow-up Meeting & Home Visit are completed.
- Complete your required pre-adoption education courses online. We encourage families to complete the workshops early in the process as the education is very helpful.
This process is usually completed within 8-10 weeks. The home study process may be expedited when necessary for a child’s welfare. Meetings take place at the offices of Adoptions of Indiana, the client’s home, or at other agreed upon locations. The adoption professionals at Adoptions of Indiana strive to accommodate a variety of family schedules. Evening and weekend appointments are available, though limited.
Upon completion, the formal home study document is prepared. This document is confidential; however, a copy of the document is provided to the adopting family for their review. Other governing bodies, such as Interstate Compact for Placement of Children, USCIS, the Court hearing the adoption, Department of Child Services, or the family’s attorney or placing agency in an international adoption may receive a copy of the document in order to ensure the adoption proceeds as planned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our adoptive home study program policy requires prospective adoptive families complete a full adoptive home study including background checks, pre-adoption education, medical screening, financial disclosures and home visits. Applicants must be at least 25 years of age, live in the state of Indiana and be a citizen of the United States. If you are adopting as a couple, Adoptions of Indiana requires couples to be married for a minimum of two years.
We also complete home studies and clearances for step-parent, grandparent and kinship adoptions. We do not provide home studies for second parent adoptions.
A full adoptive home study costs $3,000. This includes your required background checks, pre-adoption education, home visit and post-placement services. The cost of step-parent/kinship home studies and clearances range from $425-$1,050, depending upon the type of study required. Please review our fee schedule for more information.
The full adoptive home study process takes approximately 8-10 weeks to complete. Step-parent/kinship studies can take 6-8 weeks and clearances are typically complete within 4 weeks. In all cases, the more responsive you are, the quicker we can help you move forward. The home study process may be expedited when necessary for a child’s welfare, but additional fees may apply.
Nope! If you only need a home study, we can get started as soon as you are ready.
Contact Amber Sermersheim (amber@adoptionsofindiana.org) to get started. Amber will provide you with access to eAdopt, our online portal where you will complete your application and sign our agency contracts. From there, you will be invoiced for your registration fee and home study installment and be assigned to a social worker.
Request More Information
Looking for more information on Home Studies? Contact Us!
Office Hours –
M-F 9am-5pm
Call or Text Us – (317) 574-8950
Email Us – info@adoptionsofindiana.org
