Adoption
Many children across the United States are waiting to be adopted. These youngsters live in foster homes, group homes, and residential facilities. Most waiting children have "special needs," a condition or circumstance that makes them difficult to place. Prospective parents can meet these challenges with the help of parent support groups serving our state. Adoption subsidy, including help with medical expenses, is available for many children with special needs. Whatever the special need, children grow best in a loving and secure permanent family--one that can make the difference in their lives.
Their Ages
Children of school age, particularly those over the age of ten, represent the largest number of children needing permanent families. Experience has shown that older children can readily become successful family members.
Sibling Groups: Groups of three or more brothers and sisters are waiting for a permanent home where they can all be together. These children have often been separated in foster care. Adopting sibling groups helps children re-establish their roots in a new, permanent family.
Their Special Needs
Many of the children available are physically and mentally healthy. However, there are also many who need a little extra understanding, encouragement and love due to their physical, mental, or emotional difficulties.
Physical: Children who wait often have multiple and/or severe disabilities that require extensive therapy and special education. Parents who adopt a disabled child need to accept and love the child as a person with potential. Many sources of help and parent-to-parent sharing are available for those interested in adopting a son or daughter with physical disabilities.
Mental: Some children have developmental delays and with appropriate special education and vocational training, can be employed and achieve a large measure of independence as adults. Parenting such a child has some special rewards, such as helping a child achieve, for the first time, a skill that no one thought he or she could master.
Emotional: Mild to severe disturbances may be present in children of all ages and ongoing therapy may be needed. Emotional problems may be reflected in disruptive behavior at home or in school. Although adoption cannot be expected to solve all problems, it is important to remember that the instability of not having a permanent family can be a significant factor in emotional disturbance.
Learning Disabilities (LD): A successful adoption experience for a child with learning disabilities begins with parents who have informed themselves about LD through reading and sharing with other families whose children have similar problems. In this way, parents can learn how to help their child at home as well as secure appropriate special education.
