One of my best friends when I was growing up had been adopted. Watching his "dad" you would never know it. He cared for and loved his adopted son in the same way that he would have loved his own. This does not change when the child involved has problems.
What About Adopting a Special Needs Child?
What is a special needs child? When asked in conjunction with adoption, the term takes on a slightly different definition. Each jurisdiction has a different set of guidelines that defines exactly what special needs means to them, however, most will include children with the following: physical or health problems, HIV positive, or prenatally exposed to alcohol or drugs. It takes a special couple to adopt this type of a child, but the love that develops is very special as well.
Generally most prospective adoptive parents will qualify to adopt a special needs child. Couples considering to adopt a child with special needs are advised to take into account the commitment, special skills, dedication, preparation, and added responsibility needed to raise a child that has needs outside of the normal child rearing requirements.
In fact, the requirement for the adoption of an infant with special needs are often less restrictive than the requirements for the adoption of a healthy infant. Oftentimes this is because of the difficulty attached to placing a child with special needs.
Some of the most successful families who adopt infants with special needs are those with already large families. These families may consist of either biological or adopted children. Families such as this are often approved for adoption because they are seen as having the necessary skills required to raise such a child.
Parents who are considering adopting a special needs child should take into consideration their own emotional, physical, mental, and financial resources. Perhaps taking on the responsibility of a child with special needs will put added strain to one of the areas aforementioned and ultimately make for a not so pleasant family environment for the adopted infant.
It should be noted that the majority of special needs adoptions create long lasting and stable families. Statistics show that approximately 15 percent of all types of adoptions end in disruption where the infant either returns to the birth mother, the placement agency, or is placed in government sponsored foster care. By comparison, the success rate of a special needs adoption are around 85 percent.
When families receive the proper amount of support when they need it, the likelihood of a disruption is highly unlikely. Working closely with social workers and adoption professionals will help ensure that a family is selected to adopt an infant they have the resources and skills required to successfully care for.
There are thousands of infants available for adoption that need to be placed in a reliable home environment. The health and stability of a good home can often provide for a positive healing atmosphere that will allow an infant with special needs the room to grow and develop. For adoptive parents who would like to adopt an infant with special needs, there are also specialized government programs to aid them in the raising of the child.
Although there are different challenges associated with raising a special needs child, the positive consequences for both the infant and the adoptive parents should not be over looked. The experience will be a life changing and rewarding experience for all involved.
