Department of Family and Community Services - Why do children come into care?


	Why do children come into care?

Children come into care for a number of reasons:

a parent is unable to provide a safe home for the child;
a parent is unable to provide the type of care the child needs;
a parent dies without naming a guardian; or
a parent decides adoption is the best option for his or her child.

Some may have special service or placement needs. They may be still waiting for adoption because they:

are over two years old;
are part of a sibling group;
were exposed to drugs or alcohol in utero and may have behavioural and learning disabilities;
have difficulty attaching to a new family; or
suffered abuse or neglect and this has delayed their ability to learn and develop.

Most of the children available for adoption are between 3 and 12 years old and many are part of a sibling group. Others have prenatally been exposed to drugs and alcohol. Some have a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Effects/Syndrome or Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, but many do not.

All of these children have some level of special service or placement needs. Parenting a child with special needs can be a difficult task; however, it can also be one of the most satisfying things you will ever do.