I am available to conduct, Pre-Adoption Home Studies, with a quick turn-around time, to the Family Court of the State of New York in Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties, as outlined in Domestic Relations Law § 116(3) (see below). I also accept referrals from private adoption agencies anywhere.

Speak with your attorney or with the Clerk of the Family Court to ask if a Court Order is required to authorize me to conduct the necessary study and report in your particular case.

Feel free to contact me first if you have any questions. If you leave a voice-mail message, I will be sure to call you back. You can also e-mail asking me to call and speak with you.

What is a "home study"?

A home study consists of a visit to the family's residence. Both parents parents and any children are interviewed together and separately. With your signed consent, I will obtain collateral information from schools, service providers, and other sources. Prospective adoptive parents may be asked to visit their doctors for a physical exam, if they have not done so lately. I then compile this into a report for the Family Court Judge, as part of the process of privately adopting a child.

Obtaining this report from the county can be a time-consuming barrier for couples eager to adopt a child, as they wait for a DSS worker who may be backed up by several months.

I will submit a report at the earliest possible date. The precise amount of time consumed may depend on a few variables, like the size of the family, or how many places I will need to contact (with your written consent) for collateral information.