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Child
Referral Options for Minnesota Families
Home
Study Services for Minnesota Families
Minnesota
Home Study Request for Information Form
Individualized
information meetings on
Summit
Adoption Home Study Services and Child Referral programs
are
easily arranged to fit your schedule.
Summit
Adoption Home Studies provides licensed home study services for
residents of Minnesota
for domestic and international adoptions. Home studies are
required
for a family to adopt a child anywhere in the U.S. or internationally.
Home
Studies
can start the within a day or two of your decision to work with Summit
Adoption Home Studies.
The
home
study process is a positive experience for our families as the goal is
to help support you and your family as prospective adoptive parents.
The
home
study interview process for a new home study consists of 2 in-home
visits,
each about 3-4 hours long. The update home studies may be able to
be accomplished in 1 in-home visit (3-4 hours long) as the previous
home
study would have biographical information already compiled on you.
At the
completion
of these visits, the family receives the draft of the home study which
is 5 to 8 pages long to review.
Your child referral agency can also
review the draft to be sure it is customized for a particular country
or state's needs.
When
approved,
notarized copies of the completed home study are provided to the family
for domestic
adoptions and international adoptions (to prepare the dossier).
For
international
adoptions, Summit Adoption Home Studies forwards the home study to
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) for I-600A
advance processing approval for the family. From the time
the
approved home study is complete, the BCIS step takes
about 30 working days month(provided fingerprints are cleared by the
FBI).
Then you receive an approval letter from BCIS stating your approval of
the
I-600A.
Minnesota
Department of Human Service Designated Format for Adoptive Home
Studies
I,II
Information
from application
-Information
will be needed for final report to court for adoption.
III. Child
Preference
-Number
of children desired
-Desired
characteristics of children to be adopted (age range, sex,
ethnic/racial
heritage, special needs).
IV.
Summary
of Preparation Process
-Date and
places of contact and persons interviewed or observed. This
should
also include dates and places of contact with persons other than the
applicants
or their children.
-What pre
adoptive education/preparation did applicants participate in? Please
identify
the number of hours and the specific topics addressed.
V.
Prospective
Adoptive Parent(s)
-Present
a brief biographical sketch of each prospective parent. Include
information
about relationships with siblings, parents (including parenting style
and
methods of discipline and encouragement), relatives, friends and the
community
in general. Also comment on their academic experiences, how the person
negotiated the transitional years, i.e. childhood to adolescence,
adolescence
to adulthood.
-Describe
current relationships with parents, siblings and extended family
members.
-If
previously
married or in a significant relationship prior to current marriage or
relationship,
please address the impact of any issues associated with that
relationship
and the effect on current beliefs and relationships.
VI.
Marriage/Relationships
and Support System
-Describe
history and status of current marriage: how long married, how each
describes
the strengths and challenges of the relationship
-How are
joy, affection, anger, sadness, and other emotions expressed.
-Is each
individuals perception of how they handle feelings and emotions viewed
similarly by others.
-How do
the individuals handle intimacy issues such as those related to sexual
expression, individual concerns or relationship need.
-What is
the decision making process and how are decisions arrived at when there
is a significant difference of opinion.
-Is there
any concern expressed about the decision making process or specific
areas
of conflict or disagreement?
-Who are
identified as extended family members.
-Have
there
been any recent significant losses (death, moves, divorces, etc.)within
the extended family, non-blood kin or friendship network. If so, what
impact
does this have for the adoptive plan?
-What
supportive
resources does the family currently have.
-For
single
persons, is there a special person in his/her life?
VII.
Lifestyle
-What type
of living environment do the applicants strive to create?
-Are
family
routines, roles, rules and other activities supportive of the desired
living
environment?
VIII.
Parenting
Philosophy and Experience
a.
Parent's
view
-How does
the family deal with anger,rage,possessiveness or withdrawal in parent
and child interactions.
-How is
each child described?
-Are there
particular stresses and strains with each child, and how are they
handled?
-What is
the parenting philosophy which the parents strive to maintain?
-How are
the children encouraged and disciplined?
-How are
the children included in decision making?
-What are
the expectations of each child?
-How do
the parents view each child's awareness and acceptance of adoption.
b.
Children's
view if there are children in the family:
-How does
each child describe his/her relationship with other family members?
-How does
each child feel about his/her position and role in the family?
c.
domestic
violence data of each person over the age of 13 living in the home, and
d.
a review of the Juvenile court records of each person over the age of
13
living in the home.
-Comment
on the number of references obtained and the opinions of those sending
in references.
XVII
Recommendations
-The
agency
must provide a specific recommendation of the suitability of the
subjects
to be adoptive parents.
-The
agency
must provide specific recommendations as to the number and age of
children
to be adopted and the types of disability, if any which the parents are
prepared to address.
BCIS requires that a home study also include:
1.
Discussion
of a family's financial ability to rear and educate the child.
2.
Detailed
description of the current living accommodations of the prospective
parent
or parents.
3.
Detailed
description of the living space where the child will reside.
4.
Factual
evaluation of the family's physical, mental and moral capabilities.
5.
Demonstrate
the family meets the standards for adoptive families.
6.
Statement
about the family's ability to provide the child with an appreciation of
the child's culture of origin.
7.
Because
of differing cultural issues, the adoption home study completed for a
child
born in another country may only be used for that purpose.
8.
Prospective
adoptive parents will be questioned regarding any previously rejected
application
or unfavorable home study.
Prospective
adoptive parents will be questioned on whether there is any history of
substance abuse, sexual or child abuse, or domestic violence, even if
it
did not result in an arrest or conviction.
9. The
BCIS
Form I-600A is now valid for 18 months. Fingerprints through BCIS
are valid for 15 months.
1389 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
Phone: 651-645-6657
Fax: 651-645-6713
E-mail:
summitadopt@uswest.net
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rights reserved. Contact: Summit Adoption Home Studies, Inc.