All across the world, there are children who are in need of a loving home and family. These children span all demographics in terms of race, age, gender and whether or not they have special needs. Early on in the adoption process, prospective parents are faced with a major decision. Would they be comfortable adopting a child with special needs?
This question tends to throw some prospective parents off. Perhaps they had not even considered the possibility of adopting a special needs child, but they don’t necessarily want to rule it out completely. The reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of special needs children in the United States who need homes, just as much as their counterparts.
Prospective adoptive parents must thoroughly research and discuss whether or not they would be comfortable with adopting a special need child. While there are two definitions of “special needs adoptions,” this article will focus on the adoption of children with special needs.
What is a Special Needs Adoption?
There might be some confusion as to what exactly qualifies a child as “special needs.” The phrase is a vague umbrella term that categorizes a number of disabilities or challenges that a child may have.
There are four main types of special needs. They include: physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional, and sensory impaired. Each of these types has specific medical diagnoses that fall underneath them.
- Physical – Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and others
- Developmental – Autism, Down Syndrome, Dyslexia and others
- Behavioral/emotional – ADD, ADHD, and others
- Sensory Impaired – Blindness, Deafness, and others
Some delays, such as ADHD, can be caused by drug and alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Typically, abuse of these substances can lead to the child being affected by these delays.
“Special needs” is such a broad term. Adoptive parents will need to do research on everything that the term covers. This knowledge will be very helpful when coming up with a definitive stance on whether or not they are comfortable with adopting a special needs child.
First and foremost, adoptive parents need to recognize that it is not a failure on their part if they are not comfortable with the idea of adopting a special needs child. It is imperative that a child is placed in a home where the parents are sure of their capabilities when it comes to raising the child. So, while many adoptive families have open hearts, it is important that they consider this fact.
Depending on a child’s disability, there may be additional time and resources that need to be allocated strictly for the child’s well-being. This can range from behavioral therapy to regular hospital visits. Adopting a special needs child may cause a significant shift in both your family’s dynamic and daily routine. Sometimes trauma manifests as a behavioral or emotional special need, this can include acting out or attachment problems.
Most public and private agencies handle the adoptions of children with special needs. There are also adoption agencies that specialize in placing special needs children with loving adoptive families. Special needs children can be harder to place as not many adoptive families feel well-equipped or knowledgeable enough about how to parent children of different abilities.
The Process of Adopting a Child with Special Needs
There isn’t much of a significant difference between adopting a child with special needs and a common adoption, especially when the child’s disability is mild. However, from the very beginning, you will be asked if you would be comfortable adopting a child with special needs. Search for a “medical conditions checklist,” you will be given the opportunity to decide what, if any, special needs you and your family would be comfortable with.
Many children with special needs end up in the foster care system in the United States. This is due to a variety of factors including the birth parent’s inability to parent a special needs child, prenatal alcohol/drug abuse, and many others. If you are considering adopting a child from foster care as the child’s current foster parent, then the process is still similar to a common adoption. You may also find that you have the advantage of familiarity with the child’s needs and how to address them.
Why You Should Consider Adopting a Special Needs Child
The statistics of adoption are clear. In 2014, there were 50,644 adoptions involving a public agency in the United States and Puerto Rico. Of these adoptions, over 81% of the children who were adopted were identified as having special needs.
While many people may shy away from the term “special needs,” the truth is that it can relate to such mild disabilities that they don’t actually have a major effect on the child’s day-to-day life. Before deciding whether or not they are comfortable with adopting a special needs child, adoptive parents should perform research to learn more about parenting a child with special needs.
Special Needs Adoption
Adoption is a special and beautiful journey at the end of which you and your family are blessed with the addition of a great child. While it may be your desire to give a child a home, it is important to consider whether or not you and your family would be the best fit for a child with special needs. Doing research and having an open and honest discussion with your family and your agency will help you to make an informed and definitive decision.
Adoption Choices of Colorado
For more information on adoption or if you are currently in the process of adopting a baby and have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact, Adoption Choices of Colorado. We can be reached via our website or our phones: 303-670-4673(HOPE).
About the Author
Davina grew up in the outskirts of New York City, before eventually moving to Buffalo, New York at the age of 10. Her passion for adoption comes from her own experiences of being in foster care and being an adoptee herself. She hopes to help others to understand the intricacies of adoption and encourage them to consider it as an option.
Davina is a proud Geneseo Knights alum having graduated in 2018. She has been writing for as long as she can remember and chose to pursue a degree in English with hopes of making her hobby a career. Thus far, she has enjoyed her time as an intern for Adoption Choices Inc. and looks forward to a bright future in writing. When she is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, building websites, and making lists.
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References
“Child is Identified as a Special Needs Adoption: October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014 (FY 2014).” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/special_needs2014.pdf
“Medical Conditions Checklist.” CCAI Adoption Service. Https://www.ccaifamily.org/WaitingChild/Docs/MedChecklist_Print.pdf
“The Anatomy of a Special Needs Child.” Masters in Education. https://www.masters-in-special-education.com/special-needs/
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!