Reasons Why You May Not Be Approved for Your Home Study During an Adoption

Adoption Requirements

• Unless you meet all the general requirements for adoption you may not be approved in the home study. General requirements include: age and adoption age, residency and marriage. Adoptive parents must be of legal age to adopt a child, and certain state statutes require that a child be under age 18 to qualify for adoption, while others allow adoption of adults (older than 18). Some states require that adoptive parents be residents of the state (in which they are adopting) for a certain period of time. A single person or a couple (husband and wife) can adopt a child. Many states don't explicitly prohibit adoption by gay and lesbian couples, but two states (Florida and Mississippi) have state statutes prohibiting adoption by homosexual couples. In the case of international (inter-country) adoptions, adoptive parents may have to comply with more stringent requirements during home studies in addition to meeting requirements by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, as well as the requirements of the country in which you are adopting.

Criminal or Child-Abuse Records

• All home study agencies conduct background checks as part of the process. This involves checking for criminal records, including past child abuse records, and even fingerprinting. If a criminal or child abuse record is revealed during the background checks, it can certainly lower your chances of approval. In the case of criminal records, the social worker takes into consideration the overall context of the situation. If a prospective parent can prove that they've learned their lesson from past mistakes and have worked to improve themselves, they may still qualify for adoption. However, if there are any inconsistencies or any misrepresentation of information (fraud) they will be disqualified.

Health Concerns

• Prospective adoptive parents will be required to provide a health statement from their doctors indicating that they are physically and mentally capable, and have good health in general. A physical exam is required as part of the health statement. Major health concerns and the lack of mental capacity can be grounds for disqualification by the social worker.

Safety &Living Standards

• The social worker may also not approve you in the home study if he finds serious safety concerns with your home environment. In the case of international adoption you may also be required to maintain a certain income level. The social worker will not necessarily be looking for a rich family -- it's to ensure parents can provide at least a minimum standard of living and a safe and fulfilling environment for the child.

Overall Picture

• Each home study is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, so the overall picture is what matters most. The home study findings will likely have both positive and negative components describing the family. If, on the whole, the study finds that the family is not suitable for adopting a child, the family can be disqualified for adoption.