Adopting Special Needs Infants

There are state and federal programs that offer financial assistance to families who adopt qualified special needs children.

The adoption of a child with special needs can be through a private child adoption agency or through one of the states' foster care programs. The foster care programs offer significant financial benefits over a private adoption or private agency adoption.

Once a special needs placement has taken place the adopting family may be eligible for state and federal financial adoption assistance (also called an adoption subsidy), which is paid to help offset expenses related to the child's need for ongoing treatment.  For more information about these subsidies please read the Child Welfare Information Gateway article Adoption Assistance for Children Adopted From Foster Care which includes information on Federal Title IV-E and State Adoption Assistance. You can also contact the Social Security Administration and your state Department of Health and Department of Education about special early intervention and education programs.

Click on the next link to contact a foster care program and please visit the links for state child welfare agencies and state adoption contacts.

You may also want to visit the website for the National Adoption Center.  NAC helps provide adoption opportunities for children throughout the U.S. with an emphasis on children with special needs and children from minority cultures.