CHAPTER 3: Legal Issues in the Adoption of Children with Handicaps

Abstract

Summary In the past, children with handicaps were considered to be unadoptable, and the law reflected and supported this attitude. More recently, changes in the law have removed some of the barriers to the adoption of children with handicaps and have served to promote their adoption. In addition, new legal questions have arisen regarding the standard for terminating the parental rights of the parents of a child with special needs and the legal remedies available when the adopted child does not meet the expectations of the adopted parents. This article reviews the history and current status of these issues.