Consider This Before A Special Needs Adoption

Bear in mind that an adoptee with special needs in a foster care setting may very well have been through the process of adoption before. While most instances of special needs adoption tend to go well, about in 1 in 5 children with special needs are replaced in foster care at some point.

While adoption of a child with special needs may not see any age or income requirements, some states and agencies may have their own particular restrictions and guidelines. For instance, some adoption agencies might specify that couples engaging in a special needs adoption be married for a minimum of one to three years before adopting.

Additionally, though there may be no specific terms of eligibility based on residency, if a child, say, needs entrances to be handicapped-accessible, prospective adoptive parents may have to renovate their homes accordingly.

Furthermore, individuals contemplating special needs adoption need to consider how they will build their lives around their new adoptee. Children with special needs often require more attention than the average child and may not do well with a variable schedule. If an adoptive parent's work schedule brings them home at odd hours and makes enforcement of a routine difficult, a child with special needs may easily feel uncomfortable with this arrangement and could even be a danger to himself/herself and others.

Special needs adoption is clearly not for everyone. Raising children with special needs takes patience and compassion. Before taking the proverbial plunge, potential adopters need to be honest with themselves about their capability to make such an adoption work over the long haul.

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