Transitions Adoption Agency, Inc. FAQ

1. Tell us a little about the founding and development of your organization?
   Transitions Adoption Agency has been providing child-centered, caring adoption services since 2000. The Director of Transitions is not just an experienced adoption professional, she is also a mom through the miracle of domestic adoption. This personal experience is the lens we use to build the experience for our families. We strive to remain a small agency so that our clients and birth families can build trusting relationships with our staff without feeling like a number.
2. How are your adoption home study and your organization unique?
   In working with Transitions, I think you’ll be surprised to find how we provide personalized care. We will challenge you to think outside of yourself while giving you a safe place to ask questions and learn as much as possible about the adoption process. Our director had two different experiences when she adopted through 2 different agencies: one wonderful experience and one not so wonderful experience. We use these personal experiences as the lens we need to make sure our adoptive families and birth families are receiving ethical and loving treatment at all times.
3. Why are you passionate about adoption and the home study process?
   For our staff, adoption is not simply a profession, it has become their passion and their lifelong purpose. When this happens everyone in the adoption triad benefits. We want you to be confident and fully prepared to bring home and raise a baby through adoption.
4. How long is an adoption home study valid?
   Per Pennsylvania state law, an adoption home study is valid for one year. For up to three years an original home study can be updated. We are happy to explain how this works further.
5. Approximately how much time is necessary to complete an adoption home study by your organization?
   Typically, we can complete a home study pretty quickly. Once a client completes an application and sends payment, we will send you comprehensive instructions for the paperwork required in PA. We will ask you to collect all of those documents listed on our checklist, and meet with one of our social workers in your home. After the visit/s (number of visits depends on your agency guidelines and circumstances) and our families typically have a draft of the home study for their placing agency to review within one month’s time. We also offer expedited home study services for an additional fee.
6. Can adoptive parents use a home study completed by your organization to adopt a child born in another state?
   Absolutely, our home study will be written to incorporate the laws in all states.
7. If you complete my home study, do you also have to complete my post-placement visits?
   It is easier to use the same agency for your home study and post adoption reports, provided you haven’t moved out of the state of PA. However, it is not a requirement at our agency.
8. How many post-placement visits does your organization require?
   We comply with the state of Pennsylvania laws which require 3 post placements. If you are finalizing your adoption in another state we will work with those state laws to make sure they are also met.
9. What is some advice you can give to potential adoptive families about the home study process? What should they be prepared for?
   For someone who has never adopted, the home study and adoption process can feel overwhelming. We want to help you through that in any way we can. So, at any time you wish to have additional assistance with the paperwork please feel free to reach out to us. We have personal and profession experience that can help you all along the way. We almost always answer our phone so that you can talk to someone right away.
10. What do your home study social workers look for in a home and a family when they visit potential adoptive families' homes?
    Our director remembers how nervous she felt when she had the social worker come into her home, and really there is nothing to worry about. We will be looking to make sure your home is safe, that you have general safety items installed (smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher, any weapons securely stored) and we will give you any suggestions for how to baby proof your home when the time comes. What is more important than having your house in order is having your heart and relationships in order. We will be helping you feel fully prepared physically and emotionally for this life changing event while trying to make you feel comfortable. No white glove inspections, we promise!
11. Are you Hague accredited, and if not, does your international home study comply with Hague International Standards?
    Because we are a domestic adoption agency, we are not Hague accredited because that does not apply to domestic adoption. However, many of the ethical standards and practices outlined in The Hague International Standards are common practice in our agency.
12. Do you have experience in completing the home study and working with international placement companies?
    Although our staff does have experience in international adoption from previous employment, we do not currently complete international home studies.
13. Are there other services and benefits you would like to share about your company?
    While we are a full-service adoption agency, we have extensive experience offering home studies to families who are using a placing adoption agency in another state. In addition, we offer various adoption related services. One service some of our families utilize is local open adoption visit mediation where one of our staff would come along with families for their scheduled visits with a birth family. If you are interested in any additional services feel free to ask us about them.