Basically a "homestudy" is conducted by your state of residence by a state socialworker for any sort of adoption, whether international or domestic or even foster care. The process is about the state of CA evaluating and stating we live in a stable home and have a marriage and lifestyle that will lovingly take care of a child.
So we sent in an application to a California licensed international homestudy agency recommended by our adoption agency, filled out some forms, paid some money, have been assigned a social worker by the state, and we have a series of 3 interviews with our social worker over the next month. The first interview is a couple interview where she gets to know us. The second time she meets us she will interview C & me separately. The third meeting is at our home where she will meet our children, see where we live, and talk over any other issues. She will then write up a report for the state of CA, which will be submitted with our dossier packet to the US gov't, and then to the Ethiopian court.
In addition to the interviews, we have to submit paperwork for our homestudy: a 47 autobiographical questionairre for both of us to fill out (i actually didn't mind this too much), medical evaluations for our whole family (including the kids), life insurance forms, financial forms, letters of references, Immigration forms, etc.
Other fun discussion points:
-I had a 65 year old lady today at church ask me if Ethiopia was in Asia. :)
-I also had two people comment about my guitar playing. One was Victor. (thanks). The other was a bald man who said the light was shining on my hair on stage and made me have a grey streak, and then he chuckled that I looked like a skunk. :(
5 comments:
watch out about that glaring hair: my family still snickers over the "Skunk Lady" at our elementary school. :)
I said it before and I'll say it again. You did an awesome job yesterday playing. I hope everything goes well for you guys (and by that I mean girls) this weekend at the womens retreat.
Thanks for filling us in! That sounds like a lot of work, but in the end, of course, totally worthwhile.
Did several snide remarks enter your head in regards to a BALD man commenting on your hair?
I was just curious as to the chance that you will receive an HIV positive baby. The reason I'm asking is that we talked with an organization at the missions fest that works with families of HIV positive children. They are starting a support group for adoptive parents of HIV/AIDs children. I thought it sounded like a great resource.
keep us posted on your homestudy!
Hey crystal,
on several areas of the paperwork you specify your preference of age, gender, open to special needs?, if so, what kind?. we said we weren't open to special needs, so that would mean that we will not get an HIV child. they do a full work up on the medical history of the child before he is eligible for adoption, and so we will know vaccinations, illnesses, size, development, etc.
does it make me sound bad that we weren't open to special needs? i did at one point consider adopting a deaf child, since my family knows a lot of signs (and my dad is in special ed). but just trying to adopt a healthy baby felt overwhelming enough.
that sounds like a wonderful ministry for your friend. i am sure those families could use a good support system!
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