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Successfully adopting an older child
Certainly one has to think long and hard about what you mean by successful. And one has to examine one's own soul to see what you will and won't be able to live with.
That being said, MANY older children can be successfully integrated into a family. One key element is that the family get the support it needs and that the child received appropriate treatment to help the family help the child heal from past traumas. I've worked successfully with many families, hundreds actually, that have adopted "older" (older than 5) children. I usually reserve the word older for ten and above. The fast majority of these children have had good experiences being adopted. The biggest part of the equation is the family and their capatcity to meet the emotional and psychological needs of the child and, with support and treatment, help the child heal. The other part of the equation is getting the right treatment. If you go go my website you will find a number of letters and stories written by older children who have been successfully adopted and treated...many are teens.
Regards
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Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman
Adoptive Parent
Specialist in Adoption and Foster care issues.
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