The Oregon adoption process can be time-consuming, but the majority of that time is spent on the Oregon home study for adoption. That’s why adoption professionals recommend beginning your home study as soon as you can.

If you’re ready to talk to one of our adoption specialists about the home study, you can contact us today by calling 1-800-ADOPTION or filling out our free online form. But, if you want to find out more about the home study for adoption in Oregon, continue reading. 

Oregon Home Study Basics 

Every hopeful adoptive parent in Oregon must first be cleared through an Oregon-licensed home study provider, regardless of the type of adoption or adoption professional you choose.

Your adoption home study in Oregon is done for the safety of children, so your patience is always appreciated, even if the process seems tedious at times. The goal of the home study is to ensure that all prospective adoptive parents are prepared for adoption, emotionally, financially and mentally.

An Oregon home study for adoption has two components:

• Submitting your documents

• Completing your in-home visits and interview with your home study professional

What Documentation You’ll Need for Your Oregon Home Study

To prevent bureaucratic slow-downs, it’s helpful to have all your OR home study documents collected and ready to be sent to all the necessary state departments.

These documents include:

• Current financial and health records

• Personal references that act as your reference letter for adoption

• Documents like your driver’s licenses, birth certificates, marriage certificates, pet vaccination records, home deeds, proof of insurance, etc.

• FBI fingerprinting, criminal background checks, abuse clearances, etc.

• And more

What You’ll Need for Your In-Home Visit

Your home study’s in-home visits will include a home inspection and interviews with your family, led by your Oregon home study adoption professional.

Your home inspection is done to make sure that you’ve taken basic health and safety precautions to provide a safe environment for a child, such as:

• Gated stairs

• Covered electrical outlets

• Working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

• Toxic substances like chemicals, cleaners, and medicines stored away from a child’s reach

• Fenced-off pools, ponds, etc.

• And more

No person and no home is ever going to be “perfect.” That’s not the purpose of a home study visit. Your home study visits are a helpful way to find any preparations you may have forgotten to make before you’re placed with a child.

Your family interviews with your social worker will cover a range of topics, but will include your feelings about adoption, your parenting techniques, how you plan to talk about adoption within your family and more.

When You’ll Need to Update Your OR Adoption Home Study

Your completed home study in Oregon will stay valid for up to one year. Prior to that expiration, you’ll need to update the home study if you haven’t been placed with a child yet.

You’re also required to update your home study any time you experience a big change, like a new job or a move to a new home. Some of the documents within your home study will need to be updated individually, as they expire at different times according to Oregon laws.

Once you’ve been placed with a child, you’ll need to meet a number of post-placement home study requirements before your child’s adoption can be finalized in court. This includes post-placement in-home visits with your OR adoption home study provider.

Oregon Adoption Home Study Checklist

In addition to your documents, home safety preparations, and adoption training, there are several more things you’ll need to complete a home study for adoption in Oregon.

To view the full Oregon adoption home study checklist and to learn more about the steps of the home study process in OR, please contact your local adoption home study provider now. 

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.