ABSTRACT
Adoption in the US, which originally focused on placing healthy infants, has evolved to include high percentages of children now available for placement who have either recognized medical problems or are vulnerable to developing a variety of disabilities. This chapter traces the history of adopting children with disabilities and discusses how new knowledge on the effects of adversity in early childhood has expanded our understanding of which children are at-risk for short- and long-term medical, developmental, emotional, and behavioral problems. We then outline a multidisciplinary approach for preparing parents, assessing the child’s status on arrival, and supporting child well-being and successful family formation.
