FROM PAGE cr

Many, eligible | parents,
however, are not ready to
take on the responsibility for

“special needs”. children.

-“We are looking for
parents and families who are -
ready-to put the effort. into
undérstanding the _unique
problems of ‘special needs
children,” says Hazel Clarke

of Adoption S Services.

is a delicate undertaking,
involving many factors.

Once a home is proposed
by Adoption Services, the
social worker representing
the child contacts the social

a h® ee

“Tonight -
free films

{in the forest

PICK A-CARD, any card...entertainment at the Lions”
Gate Hospital extended care unit recently included
magician Anthony Taylor, a well-known lace in the
world of macic. (Ian Smith photo)’ y,

together: after both parehts
were killed in. a boating
accident three years ago.

counter with the adopting
parents: -, aa

“When the lady who was.
looking after us started to
dress us up for the visit I was

The term “special m needs”

covers a variety of children:

who. are, difficult _ to -place
with adoptive parents, in-
cluding. those who are. no
Idnger infants,
dicapped, have
behavioral ‘or emotional
problems, or are siblings
who need to be placed i in the
same home.

These children come from
many different backgrounds.
Parents die or are declared
incompetent. Families are
disrupted by _ illness,
alcoholism, drug abuse,
accidents, disasters, and
many other . circumstances,
often leaving’ behind
children older than one
month, who need and want a
family.

Timmy was born with a
defect called Down's
Syndrome, or mongolism.
The mother, an advanced
alcoholic,” tried un-
successfully to care for her
child. Her frequent ad-
missions to hospitals, and
finally her arrest and con-

eeepevi TON dl ae

para my” into” the
foster parent. It was thrée
years before a permanent
home was found for him.

LINES AND WRINKLES

By MARY KAILUA

Cosmetic science bus extracted
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Available at

CASPER’S PHARMACY — North Vancouver
LIBBY’S PHARMACY — West Vancouver

are hah-
health,

Ieee Wheod, |
gare of. a. FEQUesis. BEALL itn

The. Adoption Services -

‘branch: does not actually

place the children. That is

_ done by social workers in the.

field, who are in direct
contact. with both the child:
and the. .adopting parents.
The branch provides a.
liaison between the. Social .
workersinvolved.

CENTRAL
REGISTRY

Adoption Services is a
central registry of homes
available to which social
workers refer when they
have a child who needs to be
adopted. Adoption Services
matches the child . and
prospective parents on paper
and the social workers deal
with the people involved.

Often the relinquishing
oarents suggest the kind of
home in which they would
like to see their child raised.
This applies to. both new-
born and = special needs
children. A devout Catholic
mother may want her child
raised AS, _a__Catholic.

Placing a child with
special needs in a new home

hopeless should start to vanish
ina few days. But that iso't all.
That discouraging weather

worker representing —

possible, these: : . .

“the
prospective parents. Notes
are compared, a decision is.
made about the home and
details are worked out. On
some occasions’ the child’s
social worker will meet the
prospective parents before a
final decision is made.

When the decision has
been made, the child
shown pictures of the new
home. Photographs--of the
home, pets, other children in
the home or neighborhood,
the child’s new bedroom--
are used ‘to acquaint and
prepare the child for the new
surroundings. Whenever
possible visits are arranged
between parents and
children. before the actual
placement is made.

CHILDREN
SENSITIVE
Children are sensitive,
especially to rejection.
Bobby, 13, and his sister,
Ann, were adopted and kept

Bobby recalls his ‘first en-

some children who do not
get placed. It is often dif-
ficult. to. find an adoptive
home where siblings can live
together. Social workers,
naturally, are very reluctant
tosplitthemup. ~-

A special needs child is
- often in the care of a foster

” nique

. backgrounds.

“Where. can" ‘you see free -
films in an Outdoor Theatre
in the middle of.a forest? In
Lighthouse Park -- tonight -
- (Sunday July 22).

Cattle Ranch is the very
down-to-earth film story of

., dust, cattle and cowboys.

For something different,
Picture Canada offers a
view of Canada

through the. eyessof a group

. of talented photographers.

These National Film Board
films plus the two award-
winning animations,. The -
Sand Castle and The House»
That Jack. Built, complete
the

Sunday evening
program..
It. starts at 9:25 p.m,,
- weather permitting.
Lighthouse Park is located
in’ West Vancouver, off: .
Marine Drive, ap-

proximately. five miles west
of Park Royal Shopping
complex. - The show is-

_ Sponsored by the West Van

Rec Centre. |

Financial
status has little bearing on
the final decision. However,
it is important that all of a
child's basic needs are met,
so the ability of the parents
to provide for the needs of
the child is— taken “into
consideration.

very worried,” he ‘says. “I parent long enough that very “We need a variety of
knew there might be trouble __real_bonds of affection_are_—homes,”-says-Hazel-Clarke,

“Because Ann and I wanted to

stay together and we weren't
babies, but it worked out. I
think we acted better than
normal kids for a while
because we were worried
that if we didn't, they’d send
‘us back.”

“LT lost my first’ child due to
crib death,” Bobby’s new
mother explains. ‘My
mother and husband wanted
me to try again, but I
couldn’t. Adopting seemed
the best way to have
children. I didn’t want a little
baby because I was scared,
so when Bobby and Anne
came up they were perfect. I
love them as though they
were my own.”

Bobby and Ann were
lucky. They were happily
placed because of the skill of
the social worker involved.

But, in spite of great ef-
forts to recruit people who
will’ adopt children with
special needs, there are

formed, and separation is
difficult... On occasion,
contact is continued bet-
ween the foster parent and
the child after the legal

adoption process has placed\

the child in a new home.
Adoption always requires a
six-month _ probationary
period.

\
NEED A VARIETY
OF HOMES

_Many people are under
false impressions about the
requirements that prospec-
tive parents must meet.

Adopting parents come from
socio-
ethnic

different types of
economic and

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precision cutting

“It is very much more im-
portant for parents to be
able to make a commitment
-- especially an emotional
commitment -- to children
with special needs, than it is
for them to have just the
ability to support the child
financially.

“For infants we will always
have too many willing
parents, but for special
needs children there are too.
few. We will continue to
work to change that
situation by finding more.

parents for British
Columbia's special needs
children.”

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