Check out the video on my YouTube channel HERE.
Alright, it’s time for your home study home visit, and if you’re feeling a bit like you’re about to be on some reality TV show where strangers come to judge your life choices—you’re not alone. Even as someone who has literally done thousands of home studies myself, I was still nervous when it came time for my own as an adoptive mama! Totally normal.
Let’s demystify this process and go through the questions you should be prepared to answer. Consider this your cheat sheet to acing the home study interview without breaking a sweat. (Okay, maybe a little sweat, but at least you’ll be prepared!)
Personal Questions
First up, they’re going to get personal. Not “what’s your deepest darkest secret” personal, but they do want to know who you are beyond the paperwork. Questions like:
- How do you describe yourself? (Time to channel your dating profile energy, minus the filters)
- Do you enjoy your job?
- What are your hobbies and interests?
- What are your beliefs?
- How would you describe your personality?
- What is your relationship like with your partner? (If you’re married)
These aren’t trick questions—they genuinely want to know who’ll be raising this child. No need to pretend you’re Martha Stewart if you’re more of a “dinner is whatever doesn’t need cooking” type of household.
Your Past
Next, they’ll take a little trip down memory lane with questions about your upbringing:
- How were you raised?
- How were you disciplined as a child?
- Did your family take vacations together?
- What are some of your fondest childhood memories?
- What is your relationship like with your parents?
- What were your parents’ parenting techniques, and what do you plan on keeping vs. changing?
- How do you think your upbringing shaped you as a person?
This isn’t about judging your past—it’s about understanding how your experiences might influence your parenting style. We all have that “I’ll never do what my parents did” list alongside the “I’m definitely stealing this parenting hack” list.
Current Life
If you’re already parenting children, they’ll want to know about your current family dynamics:
- What is your relationship like with your children?
- How do you discipline your children? (Note: “Timeout until college” is not an acceptable answer)
- If married, how long have you been married and what’s that relationship like?
What have been some of your strengths and struggles as a parent? (It’s okay to admit that sometimes bedtime is a battle you lose) - What are the schools like that your children attend or will attend?
- Do you have concerns about your current children?
- What are your future goals and dreams for your children?
Being honest about the real joys and challenges of parenting shows you’re authentic and self-aware. Nobody believes parenting is all Instagram-worthy moments.
Support System
Remember that saying “it takes a village to raise a child”? That’s exactly what they’re looking for here:
- Do you have family and friends who live nearby and can help?
- What kind of support network do you have?
This becomes especially important if you’re a single parent. They want to know you have people to call when you need a break or advice or just someone to vent to about how many times you’ve heard “Baby Shark” today.
Home Environment
They’ll ask about where this child will be growing up:
- Where will the child be living?
- What community activities and events are available?
- What are the school districts like?
- Are your friends and family supportive of your adoption plan?
This isn’t about having the fanciest house on the block—it’s about having a safe, nurturing environment where a child can thrive.
Practical Questions
Finally, they’ll cover some practical bases:
- Tell us about your health
- Do you have any mental health issues?
- Do you have any life-threatening illnesses?
- How stable is your job?
- What is your professional background?
- Do you have any history with legal issues?
I promise, all these questions are ones you’ll know the answers to! There’s no pop quiz on quantum physics (unless that’s your job, in which case… impressive).
It might help to think about these questions ahead of time and even practice your answers with someone else just to feel more comfortable. But remember—this isn’t an interrogation designed to trip you up or catch you in a lie. These questions simply help us get to know you better as a person and understand how you’d represent your family for an adoptive child.
Hopefully, you’re feeling a little less scared about the home visit now! For a head start on your home study process, I’m linking to our checklist below with all the items and paperwork you’ll need before you even get to the home visit stage.
All About Adoption 101 has a complete module dedicated to mastering the home study process if you want even more in-depth preparation. And if you’re still figuring out which adoption path is right for you, check out Avenues of Adoption for a comprehensive overview.
If you’re working with Adoption & Beyond for your home study, our Facebook Community is full of families who’ve been through this exact process and can share their experiences, we’d love to see you there!
This blog post is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Our services are not financial, business, or legal advice. The information presented here is not a guarantee that you will obtain any results or earn any money using our content. Adoption & Beyond, Inc. owns all copyrights to the materials presented here unless otherwise noted.
