If you have applied to Children’s House International (the licensed Ethiopian adoption agency we partner with), getting a homestudy is the next step. If you live in Western Washington state, Adoption Ministry will do your homestudy. If you are a resident of another state, CHI will coordinate your homestudy process with an approved agency in your area.
The homestudy will be a minimum of 3 visits: one joint interview, one individual interview and at least one home visit to take place within a 2-4 week timeframe. Each child in the home over 5 years old will also be interviewed. More visits may be needed based on the needs of the family and the determination of the social worker.
Below are the homestudy documents you will need to download and complete. To download, click on the title of each form. Please read the instructions that are given under each document.
Four Steps to International Adoption Good information as you prepare to adopt.
CHI Adult Medical Form Download two of these forms – one each for husband and wife. Please ask your doctor to run this off on his/her letterhead or use a stamp with his name, address and phone number, fill out and sign. The doctor needs to sign the report in front of a notary (place included on the document). You also will sign where appropriate. These will be returned with the autobiographies.
CHI Guardianship Statement You fill this out and sign it appropriately. This will be returned with the autobiographies and medical forms to the agency doing your homestudy.
CHI Autobiography *Be sure to check with the social worker doing your homestudy to see if they want you to use these forms or if they have forms of their own for you to use. Both husband and wife fill this out. Save this document on your computer and then type in the document. When complete, please print and return to the agency doing your homestudy with the rest of the necessary forms.
CHI Supplemental Homestudy Questionnaire Each of you will fill this out and sign it. This will also be included with your autobiographies, medical forms and guardianship form prior to beginning your homestudy.
CHI International Adoption Process Preparation Chart It is good to read this over and become familiar with it. Your homestudy social worker will introduce it and go over these items with you.
CHI Homestudy Certification of Adoptive Parents Familiarize yourself with this. Your homestudy provider will introduce it and address each of the items.
CHI Parenting Resource Worksheet
Start working on this as it needs to be done by the end of the social worker visits. This worksheet will be given to your social worker on his/her last visit. YWAM will also be sending you a Transition Plan later in the process and you’ll be able to use some of the information gathered for this worksheet on your Transition Plan.
Employment Verification Letter sample You may use this as a guide and provide a similar letter from your employer.
Reference Letters
Your homestudy provider will send for these – you do not have to do anything here.
The following items need to be with your social worker prior to beginning your homestudy:
1. Autobiographies
2. Guardianship Form
3. Medical Reports
4. Supplemental Homestudy Questionnaire
5. Employment Verification Letter
Adoptive Family Training
Please visit our Adoption Training webpage to find out how to meet the requirements for your adoption education. All families in Washington, Oregon and Idaho are required to attend one of our International Adoption Training weekends. We highly recommend this training for every family who can work out the details to attend! This two-day seminar gives you personal interaction with our staff and provides very comprehensive coverage of the many issues related to adopting internationally. For those families who are not local, the required 10 hours of training can be met online through Adoption Learning Partners. It is highly effective if you begin these courses BEFORE your homestudy interviews.
