In the informational meeting we discuss the adoptive process, the kinds of children available, the sources of these children, the home study, the adoptive parents rights and responsibilities and the agency's services.

A completed application is filed, three personal references are contacted by mail, a doctor's report on each person and in infertility report is requested. The purpose of the home study is to get to know the couple better and to help them to decide if adoption is an appropriate step for them to take. Other issues discussed in an application for an Overseas child are the obvious differences in the child's appearance, social problems they may encounter later in life, health problems, neighbor and family reaction to a "different child", etc.

In the individual interviews background information is obtained in an effort to understand the person better, and to have a sense of how they grew up.

Format of Home Study

Identifying Data: Physical description, ethnicity, education, religion, present employment. Insurance, health, other children and marriage verification.

Background Information on Adoptive Father and Mother: Parents, relationship with siblings, recent contact with family, interests, hobbies.

Marriage: How they met, what attracted them to each other, how they spend their leisure time and an evaluation of their interactions.

Finances: Income, debts, etc. Although we encourage adoptive mothers (or fathers) to take some time off to be home with a new child, we cannot require any length of time off due to the economy.

Legal Requirements: Making sure all the legal requirements have been met.

Living Arrangements: Description of home, neighborhood, room for baby, etc.

Physical Requirements For Adoptive Homes

1. The adoptive family home shall be clean, safe, free of obvious fire and other hazards, and of sufficient size to accommodate comfortably all members of the household.

2. The adoptive family home shall have adequate lighting and ventilation, hot and cold running water supply, plumbing, electricity, and heat.

3. The adoptive family home shall have sufficient furniture to allow each child to sleep in a separate bed and to have adequate storage space for the child's personal belongings.

4. The adoptive family home shall be equipped with smoke detectors in working order.

5. If the adoptive family home uses well water, it shall be tested and determined to be safe, and a report of the test furnished to the licensee.

The summary includes a description of each person's personality and involvement in the adoption process.

We do not require a written autobiography, but prefer to hear your story during the home study process.