New Beginnings International Children's & Family Services FAQ

1. Tell us a little about the founding and development of your organization?
   New Beginnings was founded in the mid-1980s by Steve and Evelyn Drury. Since then we have served over 250 birth mothers at the Erwin Maternity Care Center, placed more than 500 children for adoption through domestic and international programs, and completed hundreds of home studies for families. New Beginnings provides a safe and nurturing home for birth mothers at the Erwin House located in Lee County, Mississippi. We also operate the New Beginnings of Nepal Children’s Home which houses 10 children and provides food, shelter, education, medical care, and most of all, love for orphaned children. New Beginnings provides quality, licensed domestic and international adoptive services for children and families. We are a Fully Accredited Agency through the Council on Accreditation for the Hague Convention. One of the future goals of New Beginnings includes the development of more international programs in countries where children would benefit through adoption to the United States.
2. How are your adoption home study and your organization unique?
   We have a network of highly trained domestic and international workers available throughout the state. We have much experience in completing both domestic and international home studies for families, as we’ve been a licensed agency since 1988.
3. Why are you passionate about adoption and the home study process?
   The home study process is one step in bringing children home through adoption. It is our chief goal to do everything possible to play a part in children being brought into forever families. It is also our goal to assist adoptive parents through the home study process so that it is a pleasant experience. Whatever we can do to help families through this process and to help them to prepare for adoption and bring precious children into safe and loving homes, we will do.
4. Approximately how much time is necessary to complete an adoption home study by your organization?
   It generally takes New Beginnings less than 45 days after the final visit and with all paperwork submitted in a timely manner. Since scheduling the visits is dependent on the family’s availability, the family is able to adjust the pace to fit their lifestyle and needs.
5. Can adoptive parents use a home study completed by your organization to adopt a child born in another state?
   Yes.
6. If you complete my home study, do you also have to complete my post-placement visits?
   Not necessarily, but it is generally far less expensive to use the same agency for both services.
7. What is some advice you can give to potential adoptive families about the home study process? What should they be prepared for?
   Adoptive families should not be nervous about the home study process. Our job is to assess the suitability and capability of adoptive parents to adopt and care for a child, but it is also our goal to make this process a pleasant one. Our goal is the same as most adoptive couples – to bring children into loving homes and families.
8. What do your home study social workers look for in a home and a family when they visit potential adoptive families' homes?
   Social workers are looking for a stable family life, stable family relationships, a strong marriage, financial stability, good general health, and healthy parenting practices or views, among other things. They are looking for adequate space within a home for a child, general cleanliness, potential safety hazards, and safety devices present within a home. They are examining an adoptive couple’s motivation to adopt, along with their preparation for adoption. They are looking for any criminal history or any history of child abuse. If the child they are adopting is a special needs child, the social worker will be looking for willingness, preparation, and ability to parent a child with special needs.
9. Are you Hague accredited, and if not, does your international home study comply with Hague International Standards?
   New Beginnings has Full Hague accreditation.
10. Do you have experience in completing the home study and working with international placement companies?
    Yes, we provide home studies for numerous agencies across the country.
11. Are there other services and benefits you would like to share about your company?
    Our home study process is highly efficient and client-friendly.