Resources
"Special Needs" Adoption: What Does It Mean? (Child Welfare Information Gateway)
In adoption, the phrase "special needs" can apply to almost any child or youth adopted from foster care. The term is used in State laws to indicate eligibility for Federal financial assistance, so it is a term that adoptive families hear often. However, the term "special needs" is almost universally disliked by adoption professionals and youth in foster care because of its potential to be misunderstood and its negative connotations.
What exactly does the term "special needs" mean in foster care and adoption? This factsheet presents some common questions about adopting a child or youth with special needs and provides resources that will give you detailed answers.
Adopting Children from Foster Care
Caring for Children in Foster Care
Adoption 101 Curriculum
This adoption awareness curriculum is designed to help adoptive parent group leaders and others train child welfare, medical, legal, education, and mental health professionals, and other community members to be more responsive to the needs of adopted children and to work more effectively with their families. Issues covered include common special needs, transracial adoptions, understanding how adoption is different, core issues of adoption, and many more.A PDF of the Curriculum can be downloaded at no charge. (Please note the curriculum is 158 pages.) 2004 by Janet Jerve and Diane Martin-Hushman.
Organizations
General Adoption Resources — U.S.
About.com
Adoption ... Assistance, Information, Support
The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System
Adopting.com
AdoptNet
AdoptUsKids
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
National Adoption Center
General Adoption Resources — Canada
National
Adoption Council of Canada
Adoption Helper
Adoptive Parents
Provincial
Adoptive Families Association of British Columbia (AFABC)
Adoption Council of Ontario
Adoption Support Centre of Saskatchewan
New Brunswick Adoption Foundation
Québec Adoption
