ADOPTING AFRICAN CHILDREN

Home Study what is it and why is it necessary?  The information below will hopefully help you answer these questions.

Individuals wishing to adopt must be approved by a home study agency to do so.  This process is done by a social worker who gathers documents from you, interviews you, comes into your home once or twice, and counsels you concerning adoption.  The social worker is there to help you, not to judge you. Agencies are much more interested in bringing families together, than keeping them apart. There are many documents that must be gathered during the home study process.  These are just a few items needed to make a adoptive recommendation:

The Interviews

First and foremost. Be yourself and be honest.  There will be interviews with you and your spouse together, and one with interviews alone.   She will be exploring your ideas about parenting.  Your home study social worker is there to help you.  She wants to make sure that the environment that you are bringing a child into is a safe and wholesome haven.  Things that you will discuss in the interview will be :

this is all invasive, but it is to benefit you as well as the child.   The social worker must cover all of these areas in order to write out an acceptable home study for a foreign country.  

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Autobiographical Statement

Depending on how the social worker performs her home study you may have to conduct your autobiographical information in person or by writing it out.  It is a good idea for you to ask ahead of time.  Your home study agency will give you an outline to follow.  This will cover just about every aspect of your life, and how you FEEL about a lot of things.  Write in your own style, but remember why you are writing it people want to know what kind of parent you are going to be.

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References

When you receive the home study packet within it will have the applications for the references. You choose who your references will come from. You pick who is going to say you are wonderful, and would make the greatest parent on Earth.   Family members are not included.   Friends, neighbors, your boss, priest/pastor, former teacher, all of these are acceptable resources.   I must say that when I did my home study most people jumped at the chance because they wanted to see me with a child.  Most people are truly honored.  Your social worker will contact them by phone or mail, and ask them questions about you, mostly concerning their personal feelings about what sort of parent they think you will be. They will be asked how long they have know you, or know both of you as a couple.  If married what kind of marriage do you have?  Most agency's will have the reference letters sealed to them so that you are not aware of what is being said.  So when all is said and done try and get copies of those reference letters they will make you glad you are going ahead with the adoption.

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                                       Health Statements                                          

You will have to get a physical.   If you have any medical conditions, these will need to be documented, and if you have a serious health problem that will affect your life expectancy, this may be a problem.  Ask your social worker.  Sometimes your home study agency will have a specific form they will want the doctor to fill out.

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Criminal Record/Clearance

Steps for this procedure will vary depending on what state you live in.  Due to the new laws FBI fingerprinting will be done.  You can get this accomplished through the INS after submitting the I600 or I600-A form.  Regardless, a criminal background check is run on you to see if you have any criminal record or any charge involving a child.  Please, think back. It will show up, and you need to discuss it ahead of time.  You don't want to look like you are hiding anything. If you have been charged and/or convicted of a violent crime, or a crime against a child, or illegal substances, you are not in a very good position.

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Statement of Finances

For years I thought that you had to be rich to adopt.  You don't have to be rich to adopt, you just have to demonstrate that you manage your finances, whatever they may be, responsibly. You will be asked to provide your W-2 form, or a copy of your income tax form from last year.  You will be asked about your savings, your rent or mortgage payment, charge accounts, and monthly expenditures. You just basically need to show that adding a child to your household is not going to cause a serious financial strain.  Don't sweat this, this is a piece of cake.

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The Documents

Their are a number of documents needed in order to complete an international adoption. These documents are referred to as your dossier.  The following are the basic documents that you will need to provide. Once all documents are together, they will need to go through an authentication process. Your agency will be able to provide an exact list of what documents are necessary for the country you choose. In general, the following documents are what you will need.

1. Home Study. Your social worker will interview you (3 times) and write out a 10 page document, stating who you are, what you do, why she thinks you will make good parents. Your social worker will get this notarized for you. Get 3 or more copies.
2. Birth Certificates. You and your spouse (if applicable) must request certified birth certificates from the state capital of your birth.  If birth certificates are not available, you may check with the agency to see if valid passports will suffice in the pace of a notarized copy of a birth certificate.
3. Marriage Certificate/Divorce Certificate. If applicable. Request 3 or make copies of the originals that you get and have them notarized. For a complete listing of Vital Records offices for each state, you can search the Internet. This official certified Marriage Certificate or Divorce Certificate, is considered notarized.
4. Financial Statement. This is usually a one page typed list of your financial holdings. This document is completely put together by you. It can also be a form that the agency provides you to fill in the vital information that is needed.  You include your assets, what your bank balances are, etc. You and your spouse sign this in front of a notary. 
5. Employer's Letter. This should be on your employer's letter head. Or from your Human Resources Department.  Sometimes copies of 2 or more paycheck stubs will suffice.  He/She should simply state what your position is, how much you make, how long you have been employed.  If you are self-employed your accountant will need to write this up on his stationary.  If you don't have an accountant, find one who will do it based on your W-2 form, or income tax return.  This must be notarized.  Not content, but just signature. Get 2 or 3 copies.
6. Medical Letters. Your social worker doing your home study will want this also, so get 2 copies. You will need to have a basic physical.  Your doctor will need to sign a letter on his stationary stating that you are in good health.  Sometimes a specific form must be completed by the physician.  This must be notarized. Get 2 or 3 copies.
7. Police Reports. You are going to need some sort of statement from the police saying you are not a criminal.  Some states require fingerprints, some do not. Your social worker, doing your home study, needs this for your home study, and you need a copy also.  These must be notarized.  Your social worker will help you with this.
8. Approval Notice from INS. You must apply with INS to bring a child into this country that you have adopted. Call 1-800-870-3676 and request form I 600-A .  You can easily download the form from the INS website: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/index.htm#chart
9. The INS will send you a appointed time  to have a FBI fingerprinting of all individuals living in the home once the application has been processed.

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