What Is Adoption?

Adoption is a legal process that allows a child not born to you to become your legal child. Adopting from the foster care system (also called "special needs adoption") consists of creating a forever home for children with a history of pains. Each child is unique and may possess different obstacles and/or difficulties. Some may be born with physical conditions that require special equipment, medical care, and/or dietary care. Others may require special educational services. Most special needs children have been involved in the child welfare system and possess emotional scars as a result of abuse, neglect, or even abandonment and are waiting to be adopted. Parenting a child with special needs will be challenging and rewarding.

There are several different types of adoption including:

• Domestic
• International
• Foster Care Adoption
• Independent Adoption
• Relative Adoption

The information contained here pertains primarily to adopting a child from foster care. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please visit the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center. If you are interested in learning more about domestic, international, independent or relative adoption, please visit the Wisconsin Adoption Information Center.