Home study advice, anyone?

Allie-Jo

Hi Guys!  I posted an intro a few weeks back and I have been HORRIBLE posting since (sorry!)  Any one remember the initial scramble to get things in before your homestudy?  Yeah, that's what I've been up to.

So we FINALLY got everything in, our backround checks have come back, and our agency has scheduled our home study visits!  Our first visit is on 10/15, so just over a week away, and I don't know why but I am terrified.

Our agency does the SAFE homestudy, and I expressed concerns with us somehow not being approved by some rule I didn't know about, and our SW assured me that she really hasn't ever not approved someone and we will do fine, and that the bulk of it is making sure that we are stable people and have a safe home.  So why am I still nervous?

Anyone who has gone though their homestudy, other then interviewing us and getting to know us, is there anything I will want to make sure my house HAS or DOES NOT have?  I don't have random sharp objects or weapons or pill bottles without lids laying around but I'm just terrified something like my pluming not being up to date or something else equally ridiculous will fail us?  Help a girl out?  Calm me down?

elissaann26

Our home study was a little different since we were being licensed for foster parenting.  Even though it is MUCH easier said than done, I wouldn't worry.  I know they gave us some insight into what kind of locks we couldn't have (no keyed from the inside) and the proper storage of guns (if you had them).  But all of the other particular rules, we were given time to correct if need be.  Honestly, we didn't have to correct anything in our house since we didn't have open bottles of pill laying around!  Most of the rules for us were just the code requirements.  So if you had an inspection when you bought your house, then you met 99% of the requirements.

jillianmb

If your home check is anything like ours was you will be fine.  You should have working smoke detectors, an extinguisher at least in the kitchen (though our SW did not even check for ours), and a safe home meaning no obvious dangers like guns without a safe or second story deck without a railing etc.

Our SW literally walked around the house, wrote some things down to describe our house for our home study (ie: how many beds, what color siding/brick, approximate square footage etc.) and that was it.  It took about 1/2 hour to show the house and write up the description.  Easy.

CaptainSerious

I agree with the pps.  The walk-through on our homestudy was a joke.  She just checked to make sure there were no obvious hazards.  Even the most stringent homestudies I've heard of, generally for foster homes, are pretty relaxed.  My understanding is that the social worker will do a walk-through and point out anything that doesn't meet their requirements.  As long as you take care of any issues by the time of the last visit, you should be good to go.

As for cleaning, don't knock yourself out.  I know you will--we all do--but really, it isn't necessary.  All they want to see is that you have a safe home that is conducive to raising children, and that they will have room to play and sleep.  No one will be running a white glove along your baseboards or over your door jams.  ;-)

msditz00

They checked to make sure we have a smoke detector on each floor that worked.  That's it.  It was really almost disappointing since we had gone through so much stress updating bathrooms, child proofing cabinets, etc.  She checked none of that!  The entire "walk around the inside of the house" took 3 minutes, and I'm not exaggerating. 

Blsd4given

msditz00:

They checked to make sure we have a smoke detector on each floor that worked.  That's it.  It was really almost disappointing since we had gone through so much stress updating bathrooms, child proofing cabinets, etc.  She checked none of that!  The entire "walk around the inside of the house" took 3 minutes, and I'm not exaggerating. 

This.  We had a Foster/Adoption Homestudy.  She asked where our medications and chemicals were locked up (but didn't look for proof)...  if the guns and ammo were separate (but didn't ask to see them)... and did a 30 second walk around to see the layout of the house.  Even then she didn't seem all that interested in seeing the rooms.  After all the work we had done and panicking, it was really disappointing, lol.

Allie-Jo

Thank you so much ladies!  You actually have helped A LOT putting my mind at ease tonight.  Unfortunately I know NO ONE really who has adopted.  Some friends-of-friends of my co-workers or parents or in-laws, but being so young (24) NO ONE my age is considering adoption.

I'm really looking forward to posting and replying more, now that I feel I half-way got my foot in the door with the whole adoption process and may have more to say then asking questions.  You ladies are AWESOME!

Dr.Loretta

Deep breaths.

Keep in mind that they're not there to disqualify you. They're there to help make sure you pass a homestudy. And believe your SW. They really just want to make sure you're not living in a crack house

Sure, there may be *minor* things that they may want corrected, like having fire extinguishers or egress from a second floor bedroom. But those are easily fixable, and documentable.

FWIW, DH used to collect decorative swords and knives from various movies he liked (think Lord of the Rings), and they were displayed all around our house. And our SW did our interview in our dining room, with 2 wine tables full of wine. We passed with flying colors (though she did say our decor was "eclectic" )

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.