Texas Adoption Home Study: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Your Texas Adoption Home Study Checklist

Starting the process of adopting a child is one of the most exciting moments in a hopeful parents’ life. But there is an important step you’ll need to complete before you can move forward. You’ll need to complete a home study for adoption in Texas in order to be approved to adopt.

The home study can seem intimidating, but with the proper planning, preparation and some time management, it’s really not as scary as it seems. We’re here to help you learn everything you need to know about the Texas adoption home study process and to help you get ready and organized.

Let’s start with an explanation of the adoption home study, Texas providers who can complete the process for you, why it’s required, how it works, the most important Texas adoption home study requirements and then, finally, provide a helpful home study checklist for you.

What is a Home Study for Adoption in Texas?

Regardless of the type of adoption you choose to pursue, you’ll require a home study. The idea of someone assessing your family can seem a little invasive and intense. But this pre-adoptive step is there for an important reason: To ensure that children are placed into safe, loving and prepared families. Everyone just wants your adoption to succeed, and to make sure all children are safe and loved!

Your family and home don’t need to be perfect. They just need to be safe, prepared and excited for the process ahead.

In order to complete a home study for adoption in Texas, you’ll need to work with a licensed home study provider. This professional will review the documents you must submit, and then they’ll complete in-home visits and family interviews. All of this is designed to assess how ready your family is to raise an adopted child.

How Much Does the Adoption Home Study Cost in Texas?

The cost of adoption home study in Texas may worry some hopeful families. There are fees to complete an adoption home study. Texas costs for a home study are tricky to total, because you may need to pay administrative fees for things like requesting documentation or paying for the required Texas adoption background check.

However, home studies for adoption in Texas generally cost between $700 to $1,300, depending on the type of adoption and the services you require in your individual situation.

Here are a few tips to get a clear look at how much you may pay for your home study:

• Ask your home study provider for a breakdown of their fees
• Ask your home study provider about costs based on the type of adoption you plan on completing (e.g., international home studies are more complex than stepparent adoption home studies, so they’ll cost a bit more)
• Set aside a small portion of your budget for any third-party administrative fees, as well as for home safety upgrades
• Check to see if your adoption agency is able to complete your home study — they may offer a discount if you’re already working with them for placement

Getting a Home Study for Adoption in Texas in 4 Steps

There are four essential steps involved in getting a home study. Texas adoption agencies are best able to walk you through this process and remind you about various deadlines you need to meet.

Your Texas adoption home study will consist of the following:

Step 1: Documentation

The first thing you’ll need to do is gather all of the necessary documentation (more details on this in the requirements and checklist below). You’ll then mail, upload or deliver all of the documents to your home study provider.

If you’re not sure where to obtain some of your necessary documents, that’s where your adoption professionals will be helpful! For example, your home study provider can tell you where to get fingerprinted for Texas adoptions based on your location, and they can explain who you’ll need to contact to get your background check for adoption in Texas.

Step 2: Interviews

Next, your home study social worker will come to your home to interview your family — together and individually. This helps your social worker get a better idea of what your family is like and your general readiness for adoption.

They’ll ask some standard adoption home study questions. Texas adoptive parents are often nervous about this, but your professional will just want to talk to you about things like your family dynamic, your relationship with your spouse, your parenting techniques, views on adoption, etc.

Step 3: Home Visits

After the interviews, your home study professional will tour your home with you. No, they won’t be checking for dust with a white glove! They just want to make sure that your home would be a safe environment for your new child.

You won’t need to have your home fully child-proofed at this stage, but your social worker will want to see that you’ve thought about this, and that you’ve started implementing some basic child safety features (more on this in the checklist below).

Step 4: Post-Placement Visits

Once you’ve received placement of your child, your social worker will return for a final round of in-home visits. These post-placement visits are to make sure that everyone is adjusting well. Prior to your finalization hearing, which commonly takes place about six months after placement, a judge will review these reports.

Find a Texas Home Study Provider

Ready to get started? You will need to reach out to the appropriate adoption home study providers. Texas-licensed providers who may be able to help you complete this important pre-adoptive process include:

• American Adoptions
  

1-800-ADOPTION
American Adoptions is one of the largest domestic adoption agencies in the country. They pride themselves on the professionalism, speed and affordability in which they perform domestic home studies. They provide home study services throughout the state of Texas.

• American Adoptions of Texas

800-236-7846
American Adoptions of Texas is a local affiliate of American Adoptions, a national adoption agency providing unparalleled service. Look no further for an agency that will help you reach your Texas adoption goals safely, legally and ethically. 

• Adoption Answers, Inc.
• Children's Connections, Inc.
• S.A.F.E. Project

Contact one of these professionals to learn more.

Texas Adoption Home Study Requirements

It’s helpful to understand the criteria that your social worker will be looking for. Home study requirements for adoption in Texas generally include:

• Basic home safety measures (additional details in checklist below)
• Your effort into understanding the adoption process
• Your ability to explain your parenting philosophy, especially in regards to raising an adoptee
• Character references from family, friends, or neighbors

Your Texas Adoption Home Study Guidelines and Checklists

Take our advice: Don’t wait to get started on your adoption home studies! Texas families should start collecting and organizing the necessary documents as soon as you can (you’ll be surprised at how long this can take) and start slowly implementing some basic safety upgrades in your home.

While there’s no need to have your home 100% ready for your child, the amount of time that the home study process requires often takes would-be adoptive parents by surprise, and they find themselves rushing to catch up. So, to help, we’ve created a checklist of what you’ll need to start preparing for your Texas home study:

Required documentation to gather and organize ahead of time:

• Driver’s licenses
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Most recent tax return
• Recent medical statements from your doctors
• Insurance records
• Personal written statements about your intent to adopt
• Reference letter for adoption from family, friends, or acquaintances (3-5 letters)
• Green card (if applicable)
• Military discharges (if applicable)
• Previous adoption decrees (if applicable)
• Pet vaccination records (if applicable)
• Passports (for international adoption home studies)

Home safety measures to put in place before Texas adoption home visits typically include:

• Fences around pools
• Gates blocking stairs
• Screens on windows
• Functioning locks on doors and windows
• Fire extinguisher
• Working smoke and CO2 detectors
• Covered trash cans
• First-aid kit
• Covered electrical outlets
• Any weapons locked in a gun safe
• Toxic substances (medicine, paint, cleaning supplies, etc.) out of reach of children
• Bookcases and heavy furniture bolted to wall
• Readily accessible list of emergency phone numbers and home emergency and evacuation plans

Keep in mind this is just a general checklist — your home study provider may have more specific requirements and things they’ll be looking for, so always ask them if they have a more detailed checklist they can provide. In the meantime, though, this checklist is a good place to start.

Learn More Today

To prepare for a private adoption home study, Texas families should reach out to a qualified specialist. Contact us at any time to be connected with a specialist. They can answer your questions about the process, help you prepare and potentially provide the Texas adoption evaluation services you need.