[jdurham]

My wife and I are considering adopting a special needs child. We have three children of our own and they are all special needs kids. To give you a history . . .
When I was 12, I prayed for God to let me take care of disabled kids when I grew up.
When my wife was 16, she prayed the same thing.
We never knew each others prayers until after our first child got diagnosed with Cerebral Hypoplasia.
Our other daughter has juvenile diabetes, and our youngest, a boy, has severe ADHD and Bipolar Syndrome.
We cant have anymore due to three c-sections, so we are considering and praying about adopting.
So with that said, how hard is it to adopt a special needs child?
What paperwork needs to be done?
What do we have to look forward to so far as beuracracy is concerned?
Any hints, or thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Jason Durham

[mcdandw]

It is very easy to adopt a special needs child. Especially when you are open to the child having a disability (ies)!

You need to complete a homestudy. If you go with a state Agency there is very little to no cost.

If you go with a private Agency. You are looking at a price range of $1,000-2,000.

If you adopt through the state be prepared for the kids to also come with alot of emotional baggage.

[jdurham]

what is the best way to go, so far as paperwork and quality care of the child and which thinks more about the child? Also we aren't the wealthiest of people, and I wonder how much financial help there is in helping to adopt a special needs child.
Thanks
Jason

[mcdandw]

To me a state Agency gives you more flexibility with selecting children!

Advocacy, to me, for both state and private depends state by state.

I get $900.00 a month subsidy plus Daughter's Medical, and separate housing assistance having a Daughter who is special needs, but it also needs to be itemized that the child is what you spent it on!

[Barksum]

We've adopted two special needs children through our state's foster system. Not having worked with a private agency, I can't give you that perspective.

However, I believe that the amount of paperwork to be filled out prior to adoption is comparable if not the same. With the state agency we have received the documentation about the child's medical and foster care history, such as it is. You have to recognize that the information available about children is only as good as the weakest link in the gathering/documenting chain, whether you deal with a private or state agency.

When working with the state foster system there is usually a large number of waiting children. Often states maintain books at their agencies that adoptive parents look through to find children who have histories and needs that fit within the limits each family predetermines they will be able to cope with.

The length of time an adoptive match will take and the process for matching and placing children depends on the state (sometimes county, branch and/or caseworker) you are working with. Some states have a mandated procedure that is supposed to be followed for each waiting child. Other states seem to be more fluid in their interpretation about how the adoptive matching process proceeds.

Adoptions through the state foster system usually cost nothing and there is often a monthly stipend and a medical card for the ongoing care of the child even after the adoption is final. Again, this varies by state, so you'd have to find out about this in your pre-adoptive training. Some children qualify for SSI as well.

The quality of care for a child waiting for adoption would heavily depend on the caregivers directly responsible for the child (ie; foster parents). These are, of course, as varied and individual as each family that exists. Of course the agency with guardianship of the child is ultimately resonsible, but the people with direct contact on a daily basis will have the most impact.

You question which type of agency thinks more about the child. Again, that would be as individual as each agency, supervisor and caseworker.

The world of adoption is full of red tape. Lots of waits, lots of minutia to be attended to. It can seem overwhelming at times, regardless of whether you adopt thru the state agency, privately, domestic or foreign. You will have alot of paperwork to wade thru. There will be caseworkers in and out of your home, there will be endless appointments and details that need attention. There are also usually some sort of classes required. These classes cover child development, parenting skills, how to access various service providers in your community, what kinds of trauma a child waiting for adoption has likely experienced, etc. And all this is before you even get to look at a profile of a child needing adoptive parents.

As to how hard it is to adopt a child with special needs you would need to define "hard". Do you mean the wait? Or how much you will have to invest financially? Or how much you will have to invest emotionally into the process? Or how difficult it is to find children? LOL We are in the process of seeking to adopt for the 3rd time. I thought (foolish me!) that since we knew what to expect it would be "easier". Well, it isn't. Yes, we know what to expect and are more familiar with how to go about things so in that regard it isn't as difficult as the first time, but the emotional aspect, the waiting, the endless "stuff" (paperwork, phone tag, etc. etc.) to deal with, the wait, the little hurts of being passed over AGAIN, the wait, and on and on. Did I mention that the waiting is also difficult?

Hope this answered some of your questions.

[dadfor2]

adopting special needs, is pretty easy, but it is time cunsuming...from start to finish could be about 1 yr.

i would suggest the first thing you do is call DSS and set up an appt. to meet a social worker and talk to them

each state is different with subsidy, but one thing im pretty sure of is that the money you will get will still not cover the cost of how much the child actually needs.

this is our experience anyway. mcdan....stated she gets $900.00 a month....i get $345 for two special needs brothers....and that includes food/ clothing/ therapy...etc...

its rather useless so i just throw it in the bank for them for a rainey day.....

i guess it all depends on what state your from...we got the great governor mitt roomney......god help the state of mass.

dadfor2