If you and your spouse have decided you want to adopt a baby, there are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself. Of course, you’ve probably already asked yourselves hundreds of questions. Do you want a baby or an older child? Do you want to adopt a baby from the United States, or do you want to adopt a child from another country? The decisions you make may have to do with financial concerns. Or, perhaps time is more of an important factor for you. Every family is different. But, one thing is true. Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to move forward with the adoption, you should call an experienced adoption lawyer in Abilene.
If you’ve already done this and are finding it difficult to get approved for adoption, there are other options. For example, you may not have the money to proceed with international adoption. Or, perhaps you’re older and have no children. Some adoption agencies shy away from approving adoptions for people who don’t fit the cookie-cutter image of adoptive parents. If this is what you’re experiencing, you may want to consider a special needs adoption. Sometimes, it can be a bit easier to get approved for these adoptions.
Just because you’re willing to adopt a special needs child doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee you’ll be approved. You still need to meet the basic eligibility criteria. You also have to pass a home study. They’re not going to let just anyone adopt a baby. You have to show that you’re prepared to be a parent. You also have to show that you’re financially able to take care of an adoptive child. Your Abilene adoption attorney can help you through the entire process. You just have to call and schedule your initial consultation.
A Special Needs Adoption May Not Be What You Think it Is
A lot of people think that special needs adoption is when you adopt a child with mental or physical disabilities. And, while this can be the case, a special needs adoption isn’t limited to these kinds of children. Basically, a special needs adoption includes any child that isn’t in demand when it comes to a domestic adoption. Good or bad, most people looking to adopt want a white child that is less than a few years old. This could be because most people looking to adopt happen to be white. They want a child that looks as if it could be their real biological child. And, they want a younger child so that there’s a better chance of them acclimating to their family.
This means that children who aren’t white or very young don’t get adopted as quickly as others. In fact, there are children in need of a good home that are much older than 2 or 3. There are children all the way into their teens in need of a loving family. For adoption purposes, a special needs child is any child that is non-white and is older than 5 or 6 years old. It could also include children of any age that do have mental, physical or emotional disabilities. It is much harder to find adoptive parents for these children. This means that they may be more open to adoptive parents who are a bit older or may not fit the typical mold of an adoptive parent.
Don’t take this the wrong way. They aren’t going to let just anyone adopt a special needs child. You will still have to pass all of the other requirements. Your Abilene adoption lawyer can go over these requirements with you. They can also let you know what challenges you’ll face with a special needs adoption.
If You’re Considering a Special Needs Adoption, Call Our Office
If you’re thinking about a special needs adoption, you should call our office right away. You can sit down with an attorney who really knows how the adoption process works. They can answer any questions you have about special needs adoption. They can even offer other options that you may not have thought of. This could be the most important thing you ever do. You want to have some there with the expertise and knowledge you need. That’s where we come in. We’ve handled dozens of adoptions for all kinds of clients. We’ll be able to walk you through the process and make sure your adoption petition is handled the right way from the start.