Home Study Process

Adoption Pros is licensed to provide home study services only to Michigan residents. If you live outside of Michigan, please contact a license agency in your area to obtain a home study service. The following stages outline a typical home study process, regardless of the state of your residence.

Application Stage:

After you review the Application Packet and information about the agency's services and policies, submit to the agency the Home Study Application along with the application fee.

Home Study Packet – Paperwork Stage

As soon as we receive your Home Study Application, we will send you our Home Study Packet. This packet contains the following:

• Home Study Biographical and Family Information Questionnaires
• Marriage Questionnaire
• Discipline Questionnaire
• References Forms
• Physician’s Report Forms
• Affidavit of medical coverage
• Adoptive Home Study Process description
• Tax benefits for adoption flyer
• Central Registry Background Check Form

Instructions, and reading material

In addition to the items listed above, you may be asked to present other supporting documents. At least three recommendation letters should be mailed to the agency by not related to you individuals who know you and your family for several years. Schedule a physical with your family doctor. The report may be mailed to your agency either by you or your doctor. Please provide to the agency a document that verifies your annual income. It can be a letter from your Employer, or a copy of your most recent tax return. If you were divorced, please provide a copy of your divorce. If you are married, please provide a copy of your Marriage Certificate. You may asked to provide a copy of your Birth Certificate, or a copy of your passport. The completion of this stage is followed by a social worker's visit to your home...

Social Worker’s Visit

A Social Worker will be assigned to you, after you send to your agency all the required documents and questionnaires. The social worker will contact you by telephone to schedule a meeting. The first meeting, usually called Orientation Meeting, may take place in the agency’s office. There will be at least one visit of the social worker to your home. In some cases, there may be several visits, if required. During the visit to your home, the social worker will interview the whole family together and each member of the family separately. Please be open and sincere during this process. The social worker may ask you to provide additional documentation.

Completion of your Home Study

It takes approximately from 4 to 6 weeks to complete a typical home study. In some cases, the process may take less or more. After a report is written by your social worker, it is sent to the supervisor for final review. Many states require that a home study is approved by both, a social worker and a supervisor. As a courtesy, your social worker may offer you to read the final version of your home study before it’s signed by the supervisor. After your home study is approved, it is notarized, if needed, and released to you. On your request, several notarized copies could be released to you. A copy of the agency’s license will be provided to you at that time.