After your home study has been completed and you have expressed interest in a particular child, you will usually have the chance to talk to the child?s caseworker along with possibly other people involved in the child?s life. Asking questions will give you an opportunity to better understand what it will be like to parent that child.
In any type of adoption, whether it is an agency adoption, independent, domestic or foreign adoption, it is important to obtain as much accurate genetic, medical and social history as possible about the prospective child. There is a certain level of risk involved in adoption; however, background information can be helpful for the following reasons:
It makes it possible for the prospective parents to make an informed decision regarding accepting a child. When you have an accurate and complete knowledge of a child?s needs before placement, you will be better able to determine whether your family will be able to care for the child, including whether you have the financial and emotional resources to meet the needs of that child.
It enables you to access federal or state adoption subsidies that may be available for children with special needs. Adoption subsidies, also sometimes known as adoption assistance, may be available for children with special needs. Not all children will quality for such subsidies. Special needs may include children with medical needs and children who would be more difficult to place in an adoptive family because of their age, because they are part of a sibling group and/or because of their race or ethnicity.
Background information also offers an opportunity for the child to develop an accurate sense of their history. Without the presence of accurate information, adopted children can develop fantasies about their history that are unrealistic. They may also feel disconnected from their past.
In addition it offers an opportunity for early diagnosis as well as treatment and intervention for developmental problems and conditions. Knowledge of medical problems in a child?s birth family can provide the ability to provide treatment more quickly.
You can obtain background information by contacting local agencies and asking about the types of children that agency typically places and the typical backgrounds of those children. Remember that each child is an individual and has the potential to have their own unique problems. Agencies will usually share more specific information about a child once the family has completed a home study and has expressed an interest in adopting that specific child.
National online adoption agencies as well as photolistings can provide general descriptions as well as pictures of children who are waiting to be adopted. The descriptions in photolistings tend to be brief so it is important to understand what can be meant by certain phrases. For instance, a description like ?very active, needs a lot of attention, impulsive? could mean the child has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. A child that is described as ?developmentally delayed? may have been diagnosed with mild to moderate mental retardation. It is important to be alert to any phrases that might indicate what it would be like to parent that child. After your home study has been completed, speaking with the child?s caseworker along with former teachers and foster parents can give you a clearer idea.
The questions you ask and the information you are able to receive will often be based on the child?s age, at least to some degree. In the instance of an infant the birth parent?s health history, especially the prenatal care of the birth mother will be particularly important. In the case of an older child you will need to obtain more comprehensive information such as social, developmental, mental health and educational histories. In the event the child has been in foster care, then naturally the questions you will need to ask will be more complex.
* What would a child with this history believe about him/herself?
* What would a child with this history believe about parents/caretakers/the world?
* What types of behaviors should I expect from a child with this history?
* What special skills, abilities, or resources might be necessary to parent this particular child (e.g., medical knowledge or skills, accessible housing, special cultural or parenting training)?
Questions Regarding your Child?s Medical and Family History
* How complete is the social/medical history on the birth family, including extended family? What is missing? Is it possible to get more information?
* What is the birth family?s racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious background?
* What is the general physical description of the child?s birth parents, siblings, and other close relatives? Are there pictures? (Attempt to get pictures of a child?s birth parents and relatives whenever possible, because this will enable you to answer the questions frequently asked by adopted children: ?What did my birth parents look like?? or ?Who do I look like??)
* Is there a family history of drug or alcohol abuse?
* Is there a family history of mental illness or other genetic conditions, or predispositions to diseases such as diabetes or heart disease?
* What was the age and cause of death of close relatives in the birth family?
* What is known about the birth parents? developmental history-physically, emotionally, cognitively, including language development?
* What is known about the educational background of the birth parents and the child?s siblings?
* What are the special skills, abilities, talents, or interests of birth parents and family members?
* Are there letters, pictures, videotapes, and gifts from the birth family?
* What was the birth mother?s health like during pregnancy, and what was the health of each parent at the time of the child?s birth?
* What prenatal care did the child receive, and what was his or her condition at birth?
* When did he or she achieve developmental milestones, and have there been any developmental assessments reflecting deviation from typical development?
* Are there prior medical, dental, psychological, or psychiatric examinations and/or diagnoses for this child?
* Are there records of any immunizations and/or health care received while the child was in out-of-home care?
* What is the child?s current need for medical, dental, developmental, psychological, or psychiatric care?
* What is the child?s HIV status?
Questions Regarding your Child?s Social and Placement History
* Why did the birth parents make an adoption plan for the child, or why was the child removed from his or her birth family?
* Did the child suffer any physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect? At what point in the child?s life did he or she experience these traumas? How often? By whom?
* How many placements did the child have, and where (e.g., relative placements, foster homes, orphanages, residential treatment facilities, hospitals)? What were the reasons for placements or re-placements? What does the child remember about his or her placements? What does the child believe about why he or she was placed or moved from one placement to another? (The child?s belief may or may not be accurate, but it is important to understand a child?s perception of his or her placement history.)
* Where is the child currently enrolled and what is his or her performance at school?
* What are the results of any educational testing and are there any special educational needs?
* Are there significant events (early separations, multiple caretakers, abuse/ neglect) in the child?s life that could affect his or her capacity to relate to a new family?
* What are the past and existing relationships in the child?s life with people he or she has regularly lived with or visited (e.g., siblings, birth parents, foster parents, orphanage workers, teachers, therapists, nurses)? How has the child responded to visits with these persons in the past? Is future contact planned with any of these persons? How often? Who is responsible for seeing that it happens?
* What are the child?s strengths?
* What are the child?s special interests, talents, and/or hobbies? You should seek assistance in interpreting this information by speaking with doctors, mental health professionals, education professionals, and parents who have adopted children with similar needs and issues.
Related posts:
- Top Ways For Locating A Child Available For Adoption
- Introduction To Adoption: Cost Of Adoption
- Introduction To Adoption: The Home Study Process
- Introduction To Adoption: Agency Adoptions
- Introduction To Adoption: Independent Adoptions
- Introduction To Adoption: Types Of Adoptions
- Introduction To Adoption: Adoption Requirements
- Introduction To Adoption: International Adoptions
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- Talking To Kids About Divorce
- What Kids Summer Camp Give Your Child
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- What Tennis Summer Camp Can Do For Your Child
- Dealing With An Angry Child
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Source: http://www.e-self-help.com/adoption-tips-questions-to-ask-your-child%E2%80%99s-caseworker/
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