Home studies for adoption are required by law in every state in the U.S., plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  Why are adoption home studies required and so crucial to the adoption process?  There are several good reasons.

Home studies for adoption should be conducted by a licensed adoption agency for domestic adoptions and a Hague accredited adoption agency for international adoptions.  Building Arizona Families is both state-licensed and Hague accredited.  We have conducted hundreds of home studies for adoptive families.  While the process might seem daunting initially, we provide our adoptive families with comprehensive information and preparation that helps them feel comfortable and the process goes smoothly. You can find more information on our website and also on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website

Adoption Home Studies Requirements

While the adoption home studies requirements can vary from state to state, the overarching goal is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the adoptive parent or parents to ensure the well-being of the adopted child.  Adoptive parents are not expected to be perfect because perfect parents do not exist.  Adoptive parents must be able to provide court-issued birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees (if applicable), previous year’s tax return, five letters of reference, an autobiography, state child welfare agency fingerprint clearance, and federal fingerprint clearance among other documents. There is a great deal more information about home studies on our website’s Adoption Home Studies page, including detailed information about the process of building a home study, costs, and documents required. 

Home Studies for Adoption Contact at Building Arizona Families

If you would like more information about home studies, please contact Lisa Peterson at 623-692-4224 or by e-mail at lisa@buildingarizonafamilies.com.  Why choose Building Arizona Families? Building Arizona Families is an Arizona–licensed, IRS–registered non–profit, licensed, and accredited adoption agency. We have provided adoption services since 2004 with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Please find out more about us here.