Adopting a Child With Special Needs

Fertility treatments offer many couples facing infertility a chance to have a child of their own. But sometimes, fertility treatments are ineffective or just too expensive for you to pursue. If you and your partner have decided to end fertility treatments, you may want to consider a number of other options available to you. Adoption is often an excellent route to pursue if you are interested in adding to your family. In particular, special needs adoption is a wonderful way to expand your family and provide a child with a loving and secure home.

What is Special Needs Adoption?
Special needs adoption is a type of adoption that involves raising a child with specific emotional, physical, or behavioral needs. Special needs adoptions are becoming more popular, however there are still many children with special needs who need a permanent home. Currently, there are over 100,000 children with special needs available for adoption in the United States.

What Are Special Needs?
Children with special needs often need extra love, care, and attention when it comes to specific areas of their lives. Children who may be defined as having special needs include those with:

• physical disabilities
• emotional problems
• developmental disabilities

Children who are at risk for future emotional or physical disabilities are also described as having special needs. Sometimes, children of a certain age, gender, or race are also defined as having special needs. This is because there are simply not enough people attempting to adopt them, for political, cultural, or social reasons.

Why Try Special Needs Adoption?
Couples become interested in special needs child adoption for various reasons.

• Special needs adoption helps to bring diversity to families.
• Many couples feel that they are able to provide for and nurture a child with a specific disability.
• Special needs adoption is less expensive and time-consuming than other types of adoption.

Who Can Participate in Special Needs Adoption?
Almost anyone who has the time, energy, finances, and dedication to raise a child with special needs can participate in special needs adoption. Both couples and single parents are typically welcome to apply for special needs adoption. Age requirements are also more relaxed than with domestic or international adoption (typically, people between the age of 18 and 50 can become successful adoptive parents). In order to qualify for special needs adoption you must:

How do You Adopt a Special Needs Child?
There are several routes that you can take when trying to adopt a special needs child. These include:

• Independent Adoption: In which you use your own contacts and an adoption lawyer to finalize the adoption.
• Agency Adoption: In which you use a public or private adoption agency to help match you with a child.

Agency adoptions are typically the most popular when it comes to adopting a child with special needs. Adoption agencies are licensed and must follow strict standards and procedures. They can also advise you on appropriate legal procedures and on the medical background of your adopted child. Public agencies are typically run by state or federal government agencies, while private agencies are licensed bodies that operate on a profit or non-profit basis.

What Information Do You Need?
If you are adopting a special needs child, it is important that you receive as much information as possible about her medical and personal history. Your adoption agency should provide you with a complete medical background as well as information regarding your child’s birth and family history. If you are adopting an infant, be sure to get specific information regarding:

• gestational development at birth
• mother’s medical history
• development since birth

If you are adopting an older child, it is important to ask about their personal and family history, including any incidences of drug abuse, sexual or physical abuse, or emotional abuse.

Costs of Adopting a Special Needs Child
Most special needs adoptions are free of charge or very inexpensive. Government agencies often waive legal and court fees, while private agencies may only ask for a nominal payment. Your state or country may also allow you monthly or yearly benefits to help you to support an adoptive child with special needs. In the United States, adoption assistance benefits are available monthly and are tailored to your child’s needs. They are not taxable and are not linked with your income.

Deciding on Special Needs Adoption
As with any type of adoption, special needs adoption is not something to rush into. Special needs children often require extra medical attention, behavioral therapies, or emotional assistance. If you are unwilling or unable to provide this, then special needs adoption may not be right for you. Be sure to assess:

• the stability of your family
• your finance income
• your physical and emotional health

By taking these factors into account, you will be able to ensure that you have a successful adoption experience.

We are unable to provide answers to medically related questions or other medical advice via e-mail. Our physicians look forward to addressing your medical needs in person. To schedule an appointment or for more information about this practice as well as the programs and treatments they offer, please complete the form below. Be sure to include a valid telephone number and e-mail address so that one of our patient services coordinators may contact you directly.

Full Name:  State:  --- Select --- Outside US AE AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR OU PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY Your city:  Closest major city:  --- Select --- Atlanta Boston Chicago Dallas Denver Houston London Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis New York Philadelphia Phoenix San Diego San Francisco Seattle St Louis Sydney Washington DC Email:  Phone:  Program:  --- Select --- General information IUI - Artificial Insemination IVF - In Vitro Fertilization Fertility Drugs Tubal Reversal Vasectomy Reversal Mind/Body Programs Egg/Sperm Donation Alternative Treatments Other Comments: