Adoption Home Study Services- Domestic, International and Embryo Adoption

An adoption home study is a service that involves you and your social worker. Nightlight is committed to providing you with excellent educational programs and guidance to prepare you to be knowledgeable and loving adopting parents.

Simultaneous to the adoption education process and meeting with your social worker, you will also submit verifications that are needed as part of the home study process. Our intent is to help prepare you for the special needs of an adoptee. The home study will be different for each adoption, as everyone has different histories and experiences that they bring into the process.

The adoption home study will take about 2-6 months to complete and will consist of education, interviews, and paperwork. If you live in California, Colorado or South Carolina we will help you complete your home study. The process and requirements are different for each state, so be sure to download the proper home study information PDF booklet below.

For anyone living outside California, Colorado or South Carolina, Nightlight requires that any family adopting through one of our international programs have their home study completed by a Hague accredited agency, even if the adoption is from a non-Hague country. If there is no Hague accredited agency in your area, please contact our experts to discuss your options. We recognize there are many quality agencies who have chosen not to seek Hague accreditation, however we believe a home study is such an important part of the adoption process that every effort should be made to obtain home study services from agencies who have successfully met and maintain the higher standards of the Hague.

Contact us to get in touch with one of our offices in California, Colorado or South Carolina, or for a recommendation of a licensed adoption agency in your area.

Home Study Options

California Home Study Services
California Home Study Page includes:
California Adoption Home Study Process & FAQs
Application Forms & Getting Started

Colorado Home Study Services
Colorado Home Study Page includes:
Colorado Adoption Home Study Process & FAQs
Application Forms & Getting Started

South Carolina Home Studies [pdf]
PDF Download includes:
South Carolina Adoption Home Study Process & FAQs
Application Forms & Getting Started

Home Studies for Americans Living Abroad

Nightlight is able to do your home study, even if you are an American living in another country. We will send a social worker to where you live!

Family Assessments for Snowflake Clients

If you are adopting with our Snowflake program, Nightlight can travel to you for the family assessment. This is a great option if you do not live near an adoption agency that can provide an embryo adoption home study. This service is available to clients throughout the US and worldwide.

Adoption Home Study Education

Nightlight Christian Adoptions is committed to having well-educated adoptive families. Adoption education does not begin with your adoption process and end with the placement of your child. Education is an ongoing process. For information about the Nightlight expectations for families completing a home study or adoption through our agency please view the following:

For embryo adoptive families, visit the Embryo Adoption Webinar page for other helpful educational resources.

Adoption Home Study Time Frame

Most home studies can be completed within two to three months. However, at times adoption home studies take longer to complete (perhaps as long as six months) because the family may take more time to gather paperwork or complete their education. Additionally, sometimes certain child abuse clearances or criminal clearances take longer to receive — especially for those adopting from a Hague country. On the other hand, sometimes there are circumstances (especially in domestic adoptions) in which a home study must be completed in a shorter period of time. Please contact our experts to discuss home study time frames in more detail.