Q: My wife has ongoing health problems, but they are not debilitating. Will this be a factor in the home study?
A: The home study requires an up-to-date health evaluation from your primary-care physician. Your health report needs to show, not that you are perfect, but that you are capable of taking care of and keeping up with an active child. (Keep in mind, however, that some international adoption country programs place specific health restrictions on prospective parents.) If your health situation is unusual, your physician may need to include on your evaluation phrases such as “normal life expectancy” and “This poses no limitations on the applicant’s ability to parent a child.”
Overall, the home study investigation is designed to gather pertinent information about prospective adoptive parents and also to inform and educate them about the issues that arise in adoption. This process becomes a joint effort between you and your social worker, so as to better prepare you for the joys of adoption.
