Home Studies

Home Studies: The First Step Toward Adoption

JFS provides home studies to individuals and families of all backgrounds. An individual homestudy offers sensitive and careful exploration of the issues involved in parenting by adoption. Virginia law requires that all adoptive families complete a homestudy before adopting. An individual homestudy takes about six to twelve weeks to complete. Expedited homestudy services are available.

Homestudies for Surrogacy Placement
Families pursuing surrogacy will need a homestudy for both the surrogate parents and the adoptive parents. JFS can work with both families and will coordinate services such as psychological evaluations and work directly with the attorney(s) involved. 

Homestudies for Embryo Adoption
Families pursuing embryo adoption will need a homestudy. JFS can provide you with information on clinics that work with families considering embryo adoption. Families that have created embryos for IVF can donate the embryos after their family is complete. Then families that have struggled with fertility can “adopt” the embryos. The total cost of an embryo adoption (homestudy & clinic expenses) is around $5,000 to $10,000. The National Embryo Donation Center (http://www.embryoconnection.org/ or 1-865-777-2013) can provide you with more information. They work with families donating embryos and the recipients of those embryos.

Close Relative Adoptions
In the case where the child to be adopted is a close relative, JFS will complete the homestudy and work with the attorney(s) involved to ensure that all legal requirements are met.