Who qualifies as a “special needs child”?
Children in State care qualify as special needs if they are difficult to place in an adoptive home because of one or more of the following:
- Physical or mental disability
- Serious emotional maladjustment
- A recognized high risk of physical or mental disability
- More than eight (8) years old, which presents a barrier to adoption
- More than two (2) years old and has racial or ethnic factors that present a barrier to adoption
- Is a member of a sibling group that should be placed together
- Has been certified as a special needs child by the Department of Children and Families