Sometimes I mistakenly assume on here that this audience is full of people who have completed Kazakhstan adoptions. To the contrary, I am reminded by some of your questions and emails that there are many readers at the first leg of this journey. So tonight I thought I would step back and discuss one of the first "adoption events" so to speak: the homestudy.

After you have selected an agency and country, usually the next step is for you to start assembling your dossier and to work towards that coveted I-171H, which is basically the U.S. pre-approving you to adopt. The homestudy is required for both your dossier and the I-171H, so it is one of the first tasks you should tackle.

Your agency should be able to provide you with the name of a social worker you can use for your homestudy. There is no requirement that you use a social worker affiliated with your agency, and in fact, if your agency is out of state it will be necessary for you to use a social worker licensed under the laws of your state. Usually, in that situation, your social worker will work with your agency to ensure your homestudy report takes the appropriate form the agency utilizes.

If you are not using a social worker provided by your agency, the best place to find one is to ask other adoptive parents from your state. If you belong to the adoption.com forums, or the Yahoo groups, you can usually locate a social worker this way.

Make sure you social worker is licensed in your state and in good standing. You will need to make several appointments with your social worker, including at least one home visit. How many times your social worker visits you at your home depends on state law, your agency's requirements, and in some cases, country requirements. For example, Kazakhstan and China require a different number of in-home visits.

What should you expect to pay for a homestudy? Ours was $750, and a steal I suspect. I am hearing most cost at least $1000 now and up. You can expect to pay at least $150 for updates, if not more. But it is an expense you cannot ignore.

What should you expect at your visit? Your social worker will be there for two purposes: 1) to examine your home, and 2) to get all of your biographical information for the homestudy. I would suggest taking some time to gather the information your social worker is requesting before your meeting, i.e., names, addresses, etc. of all immediate family, financial statements, etc. Many times your social worker will give you some forms to fill out prior to their visit to assist in moving the actual visit along more quickly.

At the actual visit, make sure your house is clean, but don't stress too much. Social workers want to see a clean house, with enough room for everyone. They want to see that your home is safe. I would get fire extinguishers, outlet covers, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, etc., but I wouldn't sweat the small stuff.

At the actual visit, just be yourself. Social workers want to see families formed, and they are not there to throw a wrench in your adoption plans. I always think it's nice to have coffee and some cookies around to make things seem more homey, but that is certainly up to you.

How quickly can you expect to receive your report? It varies. Dramatically. Feel free to ask, gently, at your last visit. If you haven't receive it by that time, you might want to just call and ask if there was any additional information the social worker was needing to complete the report.

It's a great feeling to get that homestudy under your belt. As far as work goes in getting your dossier done, it is a major milestone! Celebrate that you are well on your way to your child.