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Special Needs Adoption
Bethany Christian joined in with the Tennessee Department of Children Services in 2000, to begin recruiting families and helping older children who had spent several years in foster care, reach permanency. Since the creation of the special needs program in the West Tennessee office more than 80 children have left the foster care system and found their forever families. Bethany Christian Services’ social workers have met all of the training requirements and have acquired the expertise needed to successfully assist a family in adopting an older child from the system.
 There are more than 100,000 children nationwide who are waiting for families. Our national presence through Bethany has allowed us to place children from other states with approved families in Tennessee. This benefit has also afforded us the opportunity to place children from Tennessee with approved families from other states.
Adopting a child is a lifelong commitment that can be challenging and rewarding. A family adopting a child with special needs must be strong, flexible, and able to provide stability, security and nurturance. The family must also be willing to advocate for their child and use community resources.
What qualifies a child as special needs?
- Children who have been abused or neglected
- Children who are older (most waiting children are ages 10-16)
- Children of racial minorities
- Sibling groups who must be placed together
- Children who are physically, emotionally, behaviorally, or mentally challenged
Facts about special needs adoption:
- All applicants must attend a 30 hour training (Parents as Tender Healers)
- Applicants can be married, single, or divorced
- You can own a home or live in an apartment
- You can be young, middle aged, or older. Many children benefit from experienced older parents
- Our goal is to find the best family to meet the child’s needs
Cost
 Special needs adoptions are usually state-funded, and the adoptive parents pay no agency fee. Medical subsidies and financial assistance are often available until the child reaches 18 years of age, regardless of the adoptive family’s income.
For more information on Special Needs Adoptions contact Debra E. Kirkwood at 901.818.9996. Or, fill out our contact form.
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