Children come into care for a number of reasons:
- a parent is unable to provide a safe home for the child;
- a parent is unable to provide the type of care the child needs;
- a parent dies without naming a guardian; or
- a parent decides adoption is the best option for his or her child.
Some may have special service or placement needs. They may be still waiting for adoption because they:
- are over two years old;
- are part of a sibling group;
- were exposed to drugs or alcohol in utero and may have behavioural and learning disabilities;
- have difficulty attaching to a new family; or
- suffered abuse or neglect and this has delayed their ability to learn and develop.
Most of the children available for adoption are between 11 and 18 years old and many are part of a sibling group. Others have prenatally been exposed to drugs and alcohol. Some have a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Effects/Syndrome or Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, but many do not.
All of these children have some level of special service or placement needs. Parenting a child with special needs can be a difficult task; however, it can also be one of the most satisfying things you will ever do.