China Adoptions

What You Should Know About China Adoptions

For any family seriously interested in international adoption, you should consider China. New Beginnings was one of the original agencies to place children from China and we have seen it develop into one of the best countries for international adoption. Words to describe China adoptions are reliable, steady and consistent. It may take longer than some of our other programs, but it rarely disappoints. Healthy children are routinely placed and the medical information is very reliable. The process unfolds consistently and the travel itineraries are kept on schedule.

All adoptions in China are processed through the China Centre for Adoption Affairs (CCAA). Much of the success of Chinese adoptions is due to the work of the CCAA. The malnutrition and developmental delays we witnessed years ago have all but disappeared. Foster care has become more the rule, than the exception. Finally, the medical information is increasingly more reliable and comprehensive with each passing year.

New Beginnings strongly encourages using a local, licensed agency for your China adoption. CCAA prefers the placing agency to conduct its own social services including the home study and report. A local agency, providing direct services will be better able to prepare you for the adoption and support you once the child has been placed. Having the same agency complete the home study and arrange the adoption simplifies the process. When working with New Beginnings there is no need for contact with a second home study agency. It also reduces the chance that your home study will be found lacking in form or content. (CCAA has very exacting requirements for what needs to be in the report as well as the number of visits.)

Children Available: Girls, Girls, Girls!

As is well known, there are predominantly girls available from China. There are, however, boys in need of loving homes as well. For families who qualify and wish to adopt a child as young as possible, we place children as young as seven months up to approximately fifteen to eighteen months.

As stated above, the medical information is excellent. It will contain a number of test results including HIV and hepatitis. Developmental milestones are indicated along with growth charts. When making your decision to accept or decline an assignment, you will have enough medical information to make an informed decision. A high quality medical report does not mean that undiagnosed or undiscoverable medical problems cannot exist. It does mean that medical problems are more likely to have been discovered.

Length of Time…Long

From application through to placement of a child from China is currently taking approximately 5 years. The wait has been steadily increasing, and we cannot predict when the waiting times will stabilize again. All agencies have essentially the same length of time but some agencies count only from the time the dossier has been sent to China. New Beginnings includes the time it takes to complete the home study and prepare the dossier when estimating the length of time. This agency manages the adoption process to make the home study experience as fast as reasonably possible. Since we coordinate the home study with an eye on what is required in China, you rarely have to duplicate efforts or redo documents. We work with our families to prepare your dossier for CCAA and use the same documents for the home study. We manage the time efficiently, starting you on the more time consuming items initially. We also manage the process so we will be completing our tasks while you fulfill yours.

When predicting the length of time or the cost, New Beginnings is realistic in its estimates. We feel that presenting realistic expectations is the basis of a mutually cooperative working relationship. We include all anticipated costs for a family from application fee to travel expenses. We leave nothing out. Be aware of this when comparing agency information packets.

Consider Waiting Children

For many people, a waiting child adoption is a wonderful way to add to their family. A waiting child is a child who is legally free for adoption, but does not yet have a permanency plan. Over the past year, New Beginnings has found families for waiting infants with a heart murmur, a seven year old healthy girl, a four year old with cleft lip and palate. A deaf child has found a home, so has a child with potential hearing loss.

The reason many children are waiting is because there is a past or present medical concern. But the need can also be developmental or emotional delays. The concern could be indirectly related to the child. For example, a biological parent could have a medical or emotional problem. Finally, permanency plans have not been made for a child because of his or her age or family dynamics, such as siblings.

To be open to a waiting child does not mean that you must be open to all conditions. But, families must be open to some conditions. For New Beginnings’ waiting children program, we would only present the child’s information with the condition or types of conditions the family has indicated they are open to. If the family wanted to proceed, New Beginnings would take the steps to secure the referral. If the match is declined, another will be made for consideration when available.

Travel, If It Is Tuesday It Must Be Guangzhou

Foreign travel is required. Thankfully, the trips are well organized and go smoothly. Since you are placed with the child very early in the trip, your primary focus needs to be on parenting the child, not the itinerary. Our representative in China will greet you at the airport and guide you through every step of the adoption process. It is not a vacation, but we do build in sightseeing and shopping for your pleasure and experience. Itineraries are kept. Glitches rarely happen and if one does, our staff will resolve it and have you back on schedule. You will be in and out of China in two weeks.

Is China Adoption Right For You?

At this time, we are not encouraging applications from families who wish to adopt only healthy female infants. The waits for a non-special needs China adoption are currently four years from the date you are registered with CCAA and growing. However, if you are open to a child of either gender with medical needs (can range from very minor medical needs to more moderate or severe needs), this program may be right for you. Wait times can be signficantly faster. Feel free to call us at 516-747-2204 to learn more about the China Waiting Child Program.

Medical reports are excellent with a Chinese adoption. The children are well cared for and emotional problems caused by institutional care are unlikely. Procedurally, China is well ordered and organized. You do have gender preference and the cost is reasonable.