Special Needs Children

To be considered a child with "special needs" each of the following statements must be true:

1. One or more of the following factors or conditions must exist:
• The child is of an minority ethnic background.
• The child is six years of age or older at the time of application for adoption support.
• The child is a member of a sibling group of three or more or of a sibling group in which one or more siblings meet the definition of special needs.
• The child is diagnosed with a physical, mental, developmental, cognitive or emotional disability.
• The child is at risk for a diagnosis of a physical, mental, developmental, cognitive, or emotional disability due to prenatal exposure to toxins, a history of serious abuse or neglect, or genetic history.
2. The state has determined that the child cannot or should not be returned to parent's home; and
3. A reasonable but unsuccessful effort was made to place the child for adoption without adoption support. (Other unique conditions may exist in which a child would qualify. Almost every child in the state's Foster Care program qualifies for Adoption Support).