Common Home Study Interview Questions - And How to Answer

Interviews make a lot of people feel nervous. They touch our country’s widespread fear of public speaking while adding an element of pressure that makes the whole situation unbearable for many. You may be nodding along in agreement as your read that and think of the adoption interview questions you will be asked during your home study.

These adoption home study questions are a central element of the home study process. They can also be a central element of the family’s anxiety about the home study. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. No matter how flustered you become by the idea of hard questions in a home study interview, you can prepare to answer with flying colors.

Every situation and every home study is unique, so there’s no way to tell you exactly what your social worker will ask. There are, however, some questions that are nearly guaranteed to come up. Taking the time to prepare for these questions will help you respond with thoughtful, intelligent answers.

You can treat this as a home study questions-and-answers study guide. Read it over and think about the questions. You could even write out your answers to make sure you know exactly what you want to say. If you feel stumped, you can click here to get more free information at any time.

Prospective birth mothers, did you know when meeting an adoptive family for the first time, you have the opportunity to ask questions to get to know them better? You can learn more about meeting the adoptive family here. You can also complete our online form or call 1-800-ADOPTION to connect with one of our professionals today.

Common Adoption Interview Questions

The purpose of the home study is for a social worker to assess a family’s living situation and readiness for adoption. No matter which type of adoption a family is pursuing, a home study is required. This is to ensure that any placement of a child with an adoptive family is in the best interests of the child. The presence of a safe, secure and supportive family and living situation is vital for a child to grow and thrive.

The interview portion of the home study is one of the most valuable to the social worker. This is a time to get to know one another, as well as to gain insight into a family’s attitudes and perspectives on adoption. As a family preparing to adopt, make sure to let your personality show through in the interview. Don’t become so robotic in answers that you appear uncaring. Instead, you can study these questions and become familiar enough with them to be yourself while answering.

During the adoption interview, questions you will likely hear include many of the following.

The Getting-to-Know-You Questions

• Tell me about yourself.

• What do you do for a living?

• Do you enjoy your work?

• What are some of your hobbies?

• How would you describe your personality?

• Tell me about your marriage and how your relationship is with your significant other.

The Autobiographical Home Study Questions

• What was your childhood like?

• What is your relationship with your parents?

• How would you describe their parenting style?

• How do you think your upbringing has shaped you?

• What is your life like today?

• What is your community like?

The Practical Questions

• How is your health?

• Does your family have any history of chronic illness?

• How is your job security?

• Can you provide for a child financially?

• Do you have any criminal record?

• What is your plan for school?

The Adoption-Specific Interview Questions

• Why do you want to adopt?

• What do you think your parenting style will be like?

• How well do you understand the adoption process?

• What do you know about some of the unique challenges faced by children who come home through adoption?

• What are your hopes for your child?

Your social worker may ask you a home study question that isn’t on this list, but this is a great place to start.

Preparing for Home Study Questions

There are several different ways to prepare for your adoption interview questions. First, spend some time reading over this list and becoming familiar with the questions. Take time to think of your answers. It’s obvious to a social worker when a parent has taken the time to think through exactly what they want to say.

Some hopeful adoptive parents have found it helpful to write out home study questions and answers, like you would if you were studying for at test in school. Putting it all on paper is a proven way of committing it to memory. You could also do a mock interview using these questions. You and your significant other can take turns playing the role of social worker and practicing responses.

Our adoption specialists have worked with thousands of adoptive families and helped them complete the home study. You can request more free adoption information online to get more details about working with American Adoptions.

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