In late 2002, Family Tree Adoption Agency received approval to begin assisting the CCAA in the placement of special needs children. We are excited by this opportunity to help find homes for these children and encourage you to consider adopting through this program.
The children range in age from infants to older school aged children and may have a variety of special needs. Some of the special needs we have seen include cleft lip and or palate, congenital heart defects, and burns.
The Process
The CCAA sends referrals of children with special needs to the agency. The Agency then looks for families who may consider their adoption. Families interested must complete a Letter of Intent and complete Information About Prospective Adoptive Parents. These documents are sent to the CCAA to obtain a preliminary approval to adopt a specific child with special needs. The CCAA will then send a Notice of preliminary approval if accepted. This process takes approximately 6 weeks. This Notice may then be submitted with the family's dossier to China. The wait for final approval and travel approval is expedited for special needs children and typically takes 3 months from dossier submission.
The remainder of the process is the same, as with non-special needs adoption. Post placement supervision is also required and more visits may be required or needed based on your child’s transition into your home.
Special Note
While the process for adopting a special needs child is expedited, please do not pursue this type of an adoption for that reason. Deciding to adopt a special needs child should be thoughtful and take into consideration the needs of the child and the parents ability to parent that child. As an agency we are here to support you in that decision making process and are here to answer questions and provide resources as needed.
If you would like to learn more about the children that we are currently seeking adoptive homes contact our office or email
For more information or questions please contact : dianna@familytreeadoption.org
