Special Needs Children Adoption Program

This is at the discretion of the country origin of the child.  Each country has different policies.  Be sure to look at the specific countries policies.

All adoptions, including those that are Special Needs, are completed through a collaborative effort with attorneys from the child's country of origin. The foreign staff ensures all children are classified as available (all biological parental rights have been terminated) and no family members are available to care for or adopt the child. All children are pre-screened for HIV before becoming available. Due to these processes, it is important to know that if you choose a specific child, the are not considered immediately considered a referral to you. We will do everything in our power to ensure you receive the child you have chosen from the list, but it is not official until the adoption is complete.

 

When families are part of the special needs program you are required to go through at least ten additional hours of education beyond what is required of all adoptions to receive more training on the specific need. We also ask that you fill out a document stating the characteristics you are willing to adopt to make the matching process a success.

 

The time frame for adopting a child with a special need is that of the specific country. Each country has varying timeframes of the children coming home. We do not expect for the time to be expedited because the child is a waiting child. The same protocol for adoption must still be completed in the US and in that country.  

 

For further information on Special Needs children please read our FAQ document or contact the Special Needs Coordinator, Amy Moore.