SAFE Home Study Process

A home study is the mandatory process by which a foster, kinship or adoption applicant is assessed for competencies and capacities. The SAFE home study assessment is required in Ontario by the Ministry of Child and Family Services.

What is SAFE?

The purpose of the adoption SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) home study is to mutually evaluate the capacity of the applicants for adoptive parenthood and relate these to the needs of the children awaiting adoption

The home study process also helps applicants understand what’s involved with adoption, how adoptive parenthood differs from biological parenthood and prepares the applicants for the adoption process.

The Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) provides Foster Care workers with a structure tool for completing the home study. The home study process is designed to be completed at the same time as the PRIDE pre-service training.

The home study is not a short process, and the time it takes to complete can vary substantially between applicants. Typically, the home study consists of 4-6 interviews over a 6-8 months period. Other components of the process include record checks, references, medicals, police clearances, and financial disclosure.