The child welfare issue I chose to research is adoption, specifically those with special
needs such as medical conditions, and intellectual disabilities. Adoption simply means children
will be raised by another family who are not their birth parents. Some of these children are
meeting milestones correctly where others may have certain conditions that delay these
milestones. It makes it a bit harder for these particular children to get adopted because they
require extra attention to support those needs such as specialists for speech, occupational therapy,
certain doctors for medical needs and sometimes early interventions. Some parents may not have
the proper support for those needs and aren't prepared to deal with all the extra costs it may take.
However, adoption agencies within the state and the country have assistance to help and prepare
people for these situations.
In Pennsylvania there is a partner within the Department of Human Services called the
Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN). Their mission is to support county
agencies in expediting permanency services. They believe that every child who wants to be
adopted deserves to have a permanent home and deserves to get it in a timely manner. They
provide resources regarding adoption to potential families so they have an idea of how the
process will go and even what comes after. The process does take time and can be overwhelming
so the state is ready to help prepare any family interested in adopting. They also provide valuable
resources for those who may adopt a child with special needs. This includes those with trauma
who may need therapy, those with medical conditions that may need special doctors, and those
with a mental disability who may need extra help reaching milestones with certain therapists. It's
important these families have all the available resources and are prepared to take care of these
children properly so they don't have to go through the process again. The end goal for state and
