Preparing for your homestudy

When you’re at the beginning of the adoption process, one of the things that can weigh heavy on your mind is the homestudy. What will it be like to have a social worker come inspect your house? What kinds of things will he or she be looking for? What if she says your house isn’t big enough? And just how clean does it have to be, anyway?

With our first homestudy I cleaned like a maniac: in closets, under beds, in the fridge, everywhere. I even scrubbed the grout in the master bathroom with bleach and a toothbrush. It was out of control.

Lots of other families have anxiety over the homestudy too. I’ve heard families say they made muffins and tea, bought flowers, and brewed cinnamon sticks in a pot of water on the stove to give their house that nice homey feel. Other families hurry to get the nursery pulled together before the homestudy, so they can show the social worker a completed room for the child.

Is all this really necessary? No! As far as cleanliness goes, yes – vacuum the living room and load the dishwasher, and make the beds. But most families report that the social workers did not look in in the fridge, under the beds or in any of the closets.

If you are adopting a child through the foster care system, you may find that there are guidelines for how big a home should be for the number of children you plan to have. However, most agencies do not have such requirements for international adoption. It is perfectly fine if you plan to have your new child share a room with another sibling or two.

The social worker will probably want to see the room that you plan to use for the new child, but she will not expect the room to be completely furnished and ready for the child to move in. Mostly the social worker will just want to see that your home is safe and appropriate for a child.

Finally, though it is fine to offer your social worker a cup of tea, remember she is there to work. Chances are she will be too busy writing and asking questions to be very interested in a snack. So don’t feel you have to offer anything.

There are a few other things to keep in mind, however. Make sure your smoke detectors are in good working order. Some social workers ask about them. You would probably also be wise to get rid of firearms or buy a gun safe if you own a weapon. Most social workers will want to know that all guns are stowed safely away from children. Though it can be stressful to have a stranger come evaluate your house, chances are when she drives away you’ll be amazed at just how low-key the inspection actually was.

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