Homestudy, Post-Adoption Supervision and other Adoption Services

God's Families is a California licensed international adoption agency and is recognized by the USCIS to provide a variety of necessary international adoption services, specifically to legal residents of the following Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Bernardino to complete their international adoption.

These services include:

• International Homestudies
• International Homestudy Updates
• Adoption Placements
• Post-Adoption Supervision required by foreign countries and other authorities
• Re-adoption Services to re-adopt a child in a California court (adoption completed abroad)
• Adoption Services to adopt a child in a California court (child not adopted abroad/guardianship adoption)
• Counseling for adoptive families and their children
• International Adoption classes

What is a Homestudy?

The homestudy is a mandated assessment of prospective adoptive parent(s) required by state, USCIS and the foreign authorities to qualify adoptive families wanting to adopt a child into their home. This assessment is a combination of collecting various required documents and background checks for the record as well as personal interviews and a home inspection by a God's Families social worker. All forms and lists of documents needed will be sent to you once you are officially registered with us. Our social worker will then write a report (homestudy) for the various agencies requiring this assessment.

God's Families provides not only fast turnarounds for homestudies, but also has one of the lowest fee structures for these services in Southern California. We have experienced social workers that are well versed in the requirements of the USCIS and foreign countries, as well as being sensitive to the family throughout this process.

What is a Homestudy Update?

Homestudies in California are considered to have perpetual life until a major change happens within a family; however, the USCIS will only consider a homestudy approved for 18 months (the time they have approved you to adopt in the foreign country), and foreign governments will typically consider the homestudy only good for (1) year from issuance. If your USCIS approval has expired, or the foreign government now requests a new report after your homestudy is one year old, you will have to get your homestudy updated. Call our office for the homestudy update fee and requirements, as fees and requirements will vary depending on who wrote the original report.

What are Placement Services?

A placement is the process of assisting an adoptive family through all the foreign country requirements and bringing their child home to the US.

God's Families can provide adoption placement services to any family, whether they reside in southern California or not. God's Families has worked with families throughout California, the USA, as well as families residing in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. See international adoption programs for more details on country options.

What is Post-Adoption Supervision?

Many countries now require post adoption supervision to fulfill requirements of the foreign country or other government agency requiring this, to ensure that the child is doing well and family is not having problems, this requires personal interviews and a written notarized report being written by God's Families on how your child is doing once back in the US. Post supervision, however, is also an important time for our social workers to assist you in making adjustments with your family, and it is critical to have professionals like God's Families has that are experienced as well as educated with the specifics of international adoption.

What are Re-adoption Services?

If both parents do not see the child before a court hearing for an adoption completed abroad, the family is required by federal law to re-adopt the child once in the US. However, most families prefer to re-adopt their children these days regardless of whether both parents traveled for the court hearing to be able to get a California delayed registration of birth for their child (The California equivalent of a birth certificate) for all future situations for the child where a state issued birth certificate would be required such as school enrollment, social security administration, enrollment in sports, scouts, other school activities, etc. California law and the court require a court report (and family interview) to be completed by the licensed adoption agency, in addition to the legal documentation required by the court. God's Families can assist you with referral to an adoption attorney, or families can do this portion themselves if they choose.

What are Adoption Services?

A few countries will only allow a child to leave their country without the court hearing taking place in the foreign country, and where after a six month supervisory period and where a family participates in post adoption supervision with a God's Families social worker can the court report be written and the adoption is finalized in the California court.

What is Counseling for Adoptive Families?

Because of the complexity of international adoption and your child's history and background, as well as the complexity of the existing family and that dynamic that was already in place, God's Families makes counseling available on an hourly fee basis to assist those families needing help with any situations, problems and rough spots as their child grows into their family. Additionally, because our sole focus is international adoption, we are always working with the latest information, training and research. Services like these are especially valuable once you're child is home, to help every family member including your child be the best they can be. Available for California residents only. Please contact our office for details.

International Adoption Fees for Homestudies, Adoption, Re-adoption, Post-Supervision, and Counseling