Emma Glasbey at BBC News spoke to YAA adopters, Joanne and Dominic about their decision to adopt in 2020.
More people have been asked to consider adopting children with additional needs amid a decline in adoption rates.
Government figures show 2,960 children were adopted in England in 2022-23 – a fall of 2% on the previous year.
The Consortium of Voluntary Adoption Agencies (CVAA) said children with disabilities or behaviour issues waited 11 months longer than others on average for an adoptive family.
The CVAA said the extra wait could be “really damaging” for children.
“Self-esteem and self-worth is certainly one consideration,” chief executive Satwinder Sandhu said.
“It can mean they can’t focus on childhood, on education, on thriving because all of their anxiety and emotions are being consumed by this unknown.”
Joanne and Dominic adopted their eight-year-old daughter, who is deaf and wears hearing aids, in 2020 when she was aged five.
“She’s a complete bundle of energy, really creative and with a great sense of humour – it’s like she’s always been here,” Joanne said.
The couple from South Yorkshire said they quickly overcame any initial apprehensions.
Joanne said: “I thought, well I don’t know sign language, I don’t know anybody in the deaf community, I don’t know much about hearing loss at all but I can learn.
“Some people say she’s so lucky to have had us but we are the lucky ones.”
Hear from more parents about adopting children with additional needs by reading our latest CVAA Advice Guide!