 View Portfolios
|
Autobiographical Statement
The autobiographical statement is essentially the story of your life.
There will probably be guidelines that ask you to tell about your family
origin. You may be asked to describe who reared you and their style of
child rearing, how many brothers and sisters you have, and where you are
in the birth order. Your statement may answer many questions. Were you
close to your parents and siblings when you were a child, are you close
now, how much contact do you have with them? What are some successes or
failures that you have experienced? What educational level have you reached,
do you plan to further your education, are you happy with your educational
attainments, what to you think about education for a child? What is your
employment status, your employment history, do you have plans to change
employment, do you like your current job?
If you are married, there will be questions about your marriage. These
may cover how you met, how long you dated before you married, how long
you have been married, what attracted you to each other, what your spouse's
strengths and weaknesses are, and the issues on which you agree and disagree
in your marriage. Others may inquire how you make decisions, solve problems,
settle arguments, communicate, express feelings, and show affection. If
you were married before, there will be questions about that marriage.
you are single, there will be questions about your social life and how
you anticipate integrating a child into it. You might need to provide
a copy of your birth certificate, your marriage license or certificate,
and your divorce decree, if applicable.
In your statement you will probably describe your ordinary routines,
such as your typical week day or weekend, your hobbies and interests,
and your leisure time activities. You may also describe your plan for
child care if you work outside the home. There will be questions that
cover your experiences with children, relatives' children, neighbors,
volunteer work, babysitting, teaching, or coaching. You might be asked
some "What if" questions regarding discipline or other parenting issues.
You will probably be asked about your neighborhood: How friendly you
are with your neighbors; What kind of people live nearby; is it a safe
area? Why did you pick this neighborhood? Are you located conveniently
to community resources, such as medical facilities, recreational facilities,
shopping areas, and religious facilities. And you will be asked about
religion, your level of religious practice, and what kind of religious
upbringing (if any) you will give the child.
There may also be a section on specific adoption-related issues, including
questions such as why do you want to adopt, what kind of child do you
feel you can best parent and why, how will you tell the child he or she
is adopted and when, what do you think of birth parents who make an adoption
plan for their child, how will you handle relatives' and friends' questions
about adoption, and can you really bond to a child not genetically related
to you.
You may not know all these answers right away! Hopefully, the worker
guiding you through the home study process will offer advice on describing
these various topics.
 Health
Statements
Most agencies require a physical exam of prospective adoptive parents,
or at least a current tuberculosis test (X-ray or scratch test). Some
agencies that only place infants with infertile couples require that the
physician verify that you are infertile. Others just want to know that
you are essentially healthy, have a normal life expectancy, and are able
to physically and emotionally handle the care of a child. If you have
a medical condition, but are under a doctor's care and it is under control
(for instance, high blood pressure or diabetes that is controlled by diet
and medication), you can probably still be approved as an adoptive family.
A serious health problem that affects life expectancy may prevent approval.
Child
Abuse and Criminal Clearances
Many States are requiring that criminal record and child abuse record
clearances be conducted on all adoptive and foster parent applicants.
This usually involves filling out a form with your name (in a woman's
case, it would include her maiden name and former married names, if applicable),
date of birth, and Social Security number, possibly getting the form notarized;
and sending it to the State child welfare and police agencies for clearance.
In some States it might involve being finger printed. The authorities
would check to see if you have a child abuse or criminal charge on file.
Misdemeanors committed long ago for which there is a believable explanation
(for example, "I was young and foolish and did what the guys expected
me to") usually are not held against you. A felony conviction, or any
charge involving children or illegal substances, would most likely not
be tolerated.
Income
Statement
Usually you are asked to verify your income by providing a copy of your
paycheck stub(s), a copy of a W-4 form, or an income tax form (1040 or
1040 EZ). You will be asked about your savings, insurance policies, and
other investments and debts, including your monthly mortgage or rent payment,
car and charge account payments, etc. This helps determine your general
financial stability. You do not have to be wealthy to adopt, but the agency
will want to know that the child will be coming to a family that manages
its finances responsibly and adequately.
References
The agency will probably ask you for the names, addresses, and telephone
numbers of three or four individuals to serve as references for you. These
might be close personal friends, an employer, a former teacher, a co-worker,
a neighbor, or your pastor. The social worker will either write a letter
to or talk to your references on the telephone, asking questions about
you that you have already answered yourself. These would address such
areas as your experience with children, the stability of your marriage,
if applicable, and your motivation to adopt. References are generally
used to get a complete picture of a family's application and an idea of
their support network. Approval would rarely be denied on the grounds
of a negative reference alone. However, if it were one of several negative
factors, such as ill health, a questionable criminal record, and a poor
work history, or if several of the references were negative, the agency
may not approve the application.
You should pick as references people who know you the best. If possible,
they should be individuals who have known you for several years, who have
seen you in various kinds of situations, who have visited in your home
and know of your interest in children, and who are also able to comment
on your lifestyle. For instance, they should know what some of your hobbies
and interests are. These kinds of references are the most useful and compelling
to the social worker completing the home study.
Interviews
There will probably be several interviews, perhaps one or two in the agency
office and at least one in your home. you will discuss the topics addressed
in your autobiographical statement, and the social worker will ask any
questions to clarify what you have written. In the case of couples, some
agency workers conduct all the interviews jointly, with husband and wife
together. Others will conduct both joint and individual interviews. An
important point: the worker is not visiting your home to conduct a white
glove inspection! He or she simply needs to see if the child will be entering
into a safe and healthy environment and whether you have thought ahead
as to how you are going to accommodate the new family member. There may
be a requirement that you have a working smoke alarm (which is a good
idea anyway) and an evacuation plan in case of an emergency. The latter
is not something many people have, so you might want to develop one ahead
of time. The worker will want to see the child's bedroom and all the other
areas of the house or apartment, including the basement or back yard.
|
