Children who are being adopted from foster care are usually considered special needs children. For purposes of adoption, special needs children are often considered to be:

1. •Older children, generally over the age of two, but the age varies from state to state
   

2. •Racial or ethnic factors (any child of color)
   

3. •Member of a sibling group of two or more children
   

4. •Children with a physical or mental disability
   

5. •Children with an emotional disturbance, or
   

6. •A recognized high risk of physical or mental disease, or
   

7. •Any combination of the above factors or conditions
   

It is natural to think that love and stability will help or “cure” a child, but the sad fact is, that most of these children have been emotionally damaged in some way.

© Excerpted from Adoption.com Guide to Foster Adoption, published by Adoption Media, LLC

It is important to realize that children waiting in the foster care system are of varying ages (from infants to early adulthood; the average age is 8), and some have brothers or sisters who need to stay together. The majority are healthy children who need a supportive, loving adult in their lives. Some children have medical challenges, but often their disabilities or conditions are treatable. There are, however, some medical or emotional disabilities that are not easily corrected, but there are numerous ways and resources to help these children.

Myth vs. Reality

Myth:                                                                        Reality:

45% of Americans think children in foster           Children enter the system through no fault care have entered the system because of               of their own, as victims of neglect, juvenile delinquency.                                                             abandonment and/or abuse. The majority of     

                                                                                  these children live with foster families, not  

                                                                                  in group homes or in institutions.

Myth:                                                                        Reality:

46% of Americans mistakenly think foster           Foster care adoption is not expensive, and care adoptions is expensive.                                    there is financial support available.

                                                                            

67% of those considering adoption are                 Once a child has been legally made available concerned the biological parents will be able       for adoption, birth parents cannot claim a to take the child back.                                            child or petition for their return.

Myth:                                                                        Reality:

Less than half of Americans believe a single         One-third of children adopted from foster parent raising an adoptive child can definitely     care in 2005 were adopted by single parents provide a healthy and loving environment.           or unmarried couples.

Only 37% think a person over the age of 55          23 percent of adopted children live with an can definitely provide a healthy and loving          adoptive parent 55 years or older. environment for a child.

Only one-third think same sex parents can          An estimated 65,000 children (4 percent of definitely provide a healthy environment.            adopted children) are living with a lesbian

                                                                                  or gay adoptive parent).

1. 1.The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, AFCARS Report 13, FY 2005 Estimates (September 2006)
   

2. 2.Urban Institute. (March 27, 2007) Adoption and Foster Care by Lesbian and Gay Parents in the United States. http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=411437