For Adoptive Families
Compassionate, straightforward home study services for Austin-area families building their forever homes through adoption.
A Home Study Process Built Around Your Family
Adoption, the act of becoming the legal parents to a child whose birth parents are unable to fulfill that role, is a wonderful thing. The social workers at Heart of Texas Home Studies are passionate about adoption and committed to completing quality reports, including pre and post-placement adoption evaluations, in a timely manner. We understand that an adoption involves many emotions and can be stressful for families, so our desire is to make the completion of the home study as smooth and simple as possible.
Services offered
Heart of Texas Home Studies can write a home study in Austin and surrounding areas for all types of adoptions including:
*If working with an agency, please confirm that they will work with a private home study provider.
Heart of Texas Home Studies also provides home study updates, post-placement services and finalization reports for the court.
Fees
Single, Stepparent or Second-Parent Adoption Home Study in Austin: $800*
Traditional two-parent Adoption Home Study in Austin: $950*
Post Placement Services: Fees vary based on number of meetings and reports required
*A travel fee may apply.
The First Steps
Before the home study interviews are scheduled, the following documents are typically requested. Most are required to be verified per Texas Family Code. There is some variance depending on the type of adoption.
Driver's License or passport
Budget Sheet
Social Security Card or passport
Letter from employer, Most Recent Tax Return or Pay Stubs
Birth Certificates for all family members
Short autobiography
Marriage License (if applicable)
A form from your doctor
Divorce Decrees (if applicable)
A reference from your therapist and/or psychiatrist, if applicable
3 Reference Letters
Three background checks will be requested:
The DPS State Criminal History Clearance Check,
FBI Background Check, and the Texas Department of Family
Protective Services (Central Registry) Check.
Prior to submitting paperwork or payment, please let us know if you have any criminal or CPS history so that we can determine if it would prevent us from being able to approve your home study.
Home Study Interview
Heart of Texas Home Studies strives to build a positive rapport with our clients, helping adopting families feel comfortable sharing the details of their lives in a supportive, confidential environment. After we have the required paperwork, we will complete the home study interviews in your home. The meeting will include a tour of the home and interviews with children (if applicable). The home study interviews usually take about two hours and will include a joint/couple interview (if applicable), and individual interviews with each household member.
The following topics are required, per Texas Family Code, to be discussed with adopting parents during the home study interviews:
Childhood Experiences
Family Relationships
Marriage Relationship
Financial Information
Health Status of Family Members
Childrearing Experience or Expectations
Home environment
Personal experience with adoption
Opinions and views of birth parents
Comfort level with openness (on-going contact with birth parents)
Comfort level with certain risk factors in the background of the child
