Citation

Mullin ES, Johnson L. Child Welf. 1999; 78(5): 579-591.

Affiliation

Adoption Services for Minnesota's Waiting Children Program, Children's Home Society of Minnesota, St. Paul, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Child Welfare League of America)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10501014

Abstract

Engaging birth/previously adopted children during the adoption process is crucial to laying the ground-work for successful placements. When families choose to adopt children with special needs, however, the role their other children will play in the adoption's success is often overlooked. This article presents a practical model that recognizes the dynamics of strength and vulnerability in adoptive families, then applies this model in preparing and supporting the family through the changes that are inevitable in special needs adoption. The model can also be used to assist adoptive parents in identifying and developing the skills they need to manage these shifts within the family.

Language: en