Special needs adoptions are more frequent than ever before; consequently, the care the care and engagement they require involve an adjustment of expectations towards potential parents. The practice of psychosocial assessment in context of an adoption is the first step in the selection process of the best family for vulnerable children. However, little is documented on this practice as it is facing new challenges for professionals. This article will explore various social and professional constructs of influence in its process, and its repercussions in the context of international adoption ; then will discuss some markers of its political, normative, and clinical evolution of the last decades. In the light of the elements shared by professionals in the field of international adoption, we will analyze what is currently at stake in the emergence of special needs adoptions for families and evaluators.