Homestudy Services

A Child's Hope offers:

  1. Homestudy services for waiting families signed up to adopt through A Child's Hope
  2. Homestudy services for families in need of a licensed North Carolina adoption agency to complete their homestudy for any other adoption situations. We do not require that you use A Child's Hope as your placement resource in order to take advantage of our homestudy services. Our services include pre and post placement homestudy services to or for independent adoptions; step-parent adoptions; and certain relative adoptions
  3. Updates to your existing homestudy report
  4. Expedited homestudy services are available for an additional fee
  5. Post-placement reports after an adoptive placement has occurred

More about Homestudy Reports (also known as Preplacement Assessments)

Before an agency or individual (in an independent situation) may place a child for adoption, the prospective adoptive parents must have a completed preplacement assessment, commonly known as a homestudy. Homestudies generally require four to six weeks to complete, or three to four weeks for an expedited homestudy. In North Carolina, homestudies are valid for eighteen months and then must be updated be updated. We have qualified and experienced social workers available throughout the state to do homestudies as well as post placement reports.

How do we get started with a homestudy?

Please review the checklist below and contact our office at 919-839-8800 to receive a copy of the Preplacement agreement contract along with a statement of fees required to start your homestudy and assign a adoption counselor.

The following documents are required in order to complete the homestudy report:

  1. A Child's Hope Preplacement Assessment Application
  2. Local County certified criminal background reports for all adults age 18 and older living in the home. This must be done in the county in which the adoptive family resides (These background checks are to be obtained at your local county courthouse/Clerk of Court office – please obtain these in person, do not make online requests)
  1. Fingerprints / Release Letters / Certified check or money order – Please see instructions regarding submitting your fingerprints directly to the FBI.
  1. Responsible Individuals Listing form (one for each adoptive parent – DSS Form 5268) Return these forms to the office with your homestudy application
  1. Physician’s report for each member of the adoptive family living in the home or any other persons living in the home. (Forms for adults and children are attached)
  1. Copy of your most recent pay stubs or a statement from your employer verifying employment and income
  1. Copy of the first two pages of your most recent Federal 1040 income tax return.
  2. Three letters of reference from individuals who have known you for at least two years. (These should be given to you or sent directly to your home in a sealed envelope marked “Attn: Social Worker.” Please give these unopened letters to your social worker during the interviews. LETTERS OF REFERENCE MUST BE NOTARIZED.)
  3. Certified original of your marriage certificate.
  1. Photocopy of any divorce decrees.
  1. Photocopies of birth certificates for adoptive parents and children in the home.
  1. Photocopy of the final decree of adoption for any adopted children.
  1. If you have adult children who are not living at home, the adult children will need to furnish a brief, written statement concerning their feelings about the upcoming adoption.