If you are adopting, the first step is to get a home study. This is an assessment done by a licensed provider in your state of residence that verifies your suitability to adopt a child.
This Home Study consists of a whole lot of verification of documents, several interviews and an inspection of your home. This visit to your home is known as the “Home Inspection”, “Home Visit” or something similar.
Each agency has their own routine and process around the home study and inspection, but there are some general expectations for the process that can help you prepare.
The Purpose of A Home Visit:
The visit to your home is important for several reasons.
FIRST, it allows an adoption social worker to meet you in person in your natural habitat. A home tells us a lot about a person. While visiting your home we can pick up on your decor style, the people and items that are important to you, and the hobbies and interests you have. This allows us to develop a deeper context around what we obtain from the required documentation and in your interviews.
SECOND, it allows us to ensure that you are real. Nowadays, many interviews are being done remotely. Seeing you in person verifies that you are real!
THIRD, it gives us an opportunity to ensure that a child can physically fit in your home would be safe.
How long is the visit?
The visit lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your home.
The worker asks you to give them a tour, showing them all of the nooks and crannies. We ask you to tell us about your home and how you use the space, and we take notes as we go (we write down everything, not just bad stuff so don’t be nervous!). Our notes are compiled into the “HOME AND COMMUNITY” section of your home study report, so we try to obtain as much detail as we can to include in our narrative later.
Cleanliness: We want to see a home that is free from excessive clutter. We want to see that you maintain your home and take care of your space. We are not looking for dust on baseboards or polished silverware so don’t go nuts cleaning the space. Particularly if you have pets or are parenting other children, we know that homes are meant to be lived in!
Neighborhood: We want to ensure that a child in your home will have a safe neighborhood in which to live. We would be concerned if you live in a neighborhood with high levels of violent crime.
We want children to have access to resources that enhance their lives, particularly if you are being approved for a child with special needs. Your proximity to hospital and educational resources will be considered.
Bedroom: While we don’t expect you to have a nursery set up, we want to see that you have a designated space for a child. Perhaps it is currently being used for another reason (guest room or office), but you have plans to convert the space when needed. There are no regulations around bedroom specifications for children adopted privately in PA, but we want to see a bedroom that is an adequate size (not an actual closet!) and that is has a window, heating vent and closet.
Safety: Some areas that get special attention are:
- Weapons storage: Ammunition and weapons should be stored separately, and in a lockable container. The key should be kept somewhere safe. We will ask you to show us these safely stored weapons during the visit.
- Medicine/cleaning product storage: These items should be stored out of reach of children. If you have them under sinks, which is common, we’ll ask you to relocate these or to obtain a cabinet latch that is child proof.
- Pool/body of water safety: If you have a pool, hot tub, pond, stream, or any other body of water on your property, we will discuss accident prevention, making child access difficult, and how to keep your child safe from entering without your supervision.
- Fire Safety: You will need to have a fire extinguisher accessible in the kitchen, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on each level of living, and serving each bedroom. Depending on the layout of your home, we might ask you to add a smoke detector in a space that isnt well served. We also recommend having a fire escape ladder on the second story, and a fire blanket in the kitchen as well.
Tips!:
One of the more common injuries in the home for children come from furniture tipping. As such, we encourage all TV’s to be mounted to walls, and all tall furniture to be anchored. We also ask that you keep this in mind when purchasing a dresser or book case for the baby room.
We do not expect you to have your home safety proofed during our visit, especially if there are no other children living in your home. We will point out potential hazards as we tour and ask your plan for making them safe from children.
If you are not sure what babyproofing looks like, please visit this website for more.
–> More Info: BBM – Baby-Proofing 101: A Complete Guide to Childproofing Your Home (babybymonth.com)
It’s OK to be nervous – coming to your home can feel invasive! We’d love to assure you, though, that we see this as a collaborative effort. There’s no “pass” or “fail” – we simply make recommendations based on what we see. You may be asked to modify a space and correct it before a home study can be approved.
We’re happy to answer any other adoption-related questions you may have during the visit as well. It doesn’t have to be all about your house.
If you’re in Pennsylvania, Absolute Love provides home inspections as part of the home study process. Typically, we come to your home after we get to know you, so hopefully it feels more like a visit and not an inspection!
When you’re ready to get started, reach out to us on our website. We can’t wait to meet you!
Summary / Breakdown
Typically 30–60 minutes, depending on the size of your home.
They note how you use each space, check general cleanliness (not perfection), and ensure there’s room for a child.
Fire alarms, extinguishers on each level, child‑proofing plans, medicine/cleaners stored safely, plans for stairs, pools, fireplaces, etc.
You don’t need a nursery set up, but a bedroom-sized room with a window, heat, and closet (even a guest/office) needs to be ready for conversion.
No—they understand homes are lived-in. They’ll suggest improvements as needed and note helpful items like smoke detectors.
