waiting children
A child who is in the legal care and custory of the Department of Human Services or similar organization of the state in which he or she resides. Many people in the adoption community prefer phrases such as "legally free for adoption" to describe this situation.

ward of the state
This term is used to describe children who are in foster care and are legally free for adoption, but for whom no adoptive parents have been located or identified. Most frequently these children are school-aged, part of a sibling group, children of color, or have special physical, emotional, educational or developmental challenges. "Waiting children" is a more inclusive term than "children with special needs."

wrap-around services
Wrap-around services are intensive, community-based mental health services that are provided to children with severe and multiple problems, in order to prevent the need for more restrictive care. Most often used for children with a serious emotional disturbance or mental illness, they may include treatment services as well as personal support services, individualized to address the specific needs of children and their families, and provided by multiple agencies.

wrongful adoption
In a wrongful adoption case, an adoptive parent takes legal action against an adoption agency, seeking a monetary award, based on the claim that the agency failed to disclose or misrepresented information about the child's or birth family's health or background at the time the child was placed with the adoptive parent.