Contact Us
To find out more about international adoptions, please contact us today.
Vietnam Homeland Tour
New Beginnings is planning a 2008 Vietnam Homeland Tour.

Click here for more information
For Parents of Children Adopted from China
The University of Connecticut Center for Developmental Disabilities is asking parents to tell us about their child and their parenting experiences.

Participation is easy. Visit the Survey Monkey website by clicking on the link below and you will be prompted through a series of questions. Have any questions? Contact Cristina at (860) 679-1500 or cmwilson@uchc.edu

Click here to take the survey
China Corner
CCAA has finished the review of dossiers logged-in up to January 31, 2007. CCAA has matched referrals for families logged-in up to January 25, 2006.

Our December 28, 2005 LID families have returned home in late May 2008. The children are beautiful! We are now awaiting referrals for our March 3, 2006 LID families.

11 families arrived home on May 18, 2007 from China with their new bundles of joy

The Group In Hunan

January 2007: China has made changes to their adoption program. Click here for more information.

See our latest additions:
 · Brooke
 · Abby
 · Stephanie
 · Jaqueline Eileen

Matthaei Family Blog

Paul & Mary Hellman's Journal

Fee Increases
The CCAA dossier application and translation fee has been raised from $960 to $1,050 for all dossiers sent to CCAA from June 1, 2008.

Visa application fees for entry into China have risen from $70 per application to $120 per application.

10 Things You Should Know About Your Agency

I HAVE LEARNED THAT SOME AGENCIES DON’T HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH ADOPTIONS. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR AGENCY AND HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE?

New Beginnings has been placing children since 1985. In that time we have placed over 2,000 children into loving homes. We started placing children from Korea and then expanded our efforts to South America, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Russia. In addition, our professional staff has an average of 20 years of experience in the adoption field. New Beginnings is a professional, well-regarded adoption agency.

ON THE AVERAGE, CAN YOU TELL ME THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN YOU PLACE EVERY YEAR?

On the average, we have placed just over 100 children per year from all of our programs. Of course there are variations due to unexpected program developments, such as a new program opening or one being suspended.

I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF YOUR PROGRAMS REQUIRE TRAVEL TO THE FOREIGN COUNTRY, IS THERE A REPRESENTATIVE THERE TO HELP US OR ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR ARRANGEMENTS ON OUR OWN?

For our programs that require travel, we have bilingual New Beginning’s representatives who will take you through the entire process from the time you arrive up until the time you return home to the United States. They manage the hotels, transportation, food, the legal paperwork for adoption and immigration. If a difficulty should arise while abroad, the representative is there to resolve it. Additionally, New Beginnings works directly with travel agents to facilitate your travel needs at this end.

WE HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT ADOPTION, WILL YOUR AGENCY HELP EDUCATE US ABOUT THE ISSUES?

New Beginnings takes pride in all of our education services that we offer our families. We feel that a primary responsibility of the agency is to prepare the family for the placement and support them once the child has arrived. Prior to the adoption, families benefit from our ABC’s of Adoption as well as our country specific training. We also offer a wide variety of elective workshops on issues in adoption. There are both pre and post adoption workshops. We sponsor support groups and do individual and group counseling. We host an Annual Conference to address a diverse selection of adoption topics.

I HAVE SEEN ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES THAT WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND GET A HOMESTUDY STARTED TO MOVE THE PROCESS ALONG. WHAT IS NEW BEGINNINGS POSITION ON THIS?

Getting a homestudy done prior to selecting your agency and program is not recommended. Most foreign organizations recommend the placing agency (the American Agency) perform their own home study services. Some require it. We see too many families with completed homestudies that can’t be used for the program they desire because the placing agency did not do the homestudy. By selecting your agency and program first, you will prevent unnecessary delays and expenses. Furthermore, if possible, the placing agency should be the one providing the homestudy services. It is the placing agency that presents the dossier (your paperwork) to the foreign organization. They are vouching for you and are responsible for the placement. They should know you and you should know them.

WE HAVE SPOKEN TO ADOPTIVE PARENTS WORKING THROUGH OTHER AGENCIES WHO COMPLAINED THAT THEY HAD MANY UNEXPECTED EXPENSES DURING THE ADOPTION PROCESS. HOW DOES NEW BEGINNINGS OUTLINE THE FEES?

New Beginnings presents all known and routine fees and expenses in an easy to read and understandable format. Expenses are presented in one location and no calculator is needed. Additionally, at the signing of your contract we present a detailed breakdown of the fees, with an explanation and when they are due. You will also receive a refund policy and a breakdown of non-routine expenses. (An example of a non-routine expense is an addendum to the home study when needed because the family has moved or changed employment.) Incidental expenses could escalate if an unforeseen event, such as a weather emergency while abroad, comes into play. However, New Beginnings fees do not vary. There are no hidden costs or undisclosed fees.

WE HAD A FRIEND WHO WAS WORKING IN CAMBODIA WHEN IT CLOSED DOWN. HOW DOES YOUR AGENCY HANDLE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS?

At any time if the program selected is no longer reasonably available to complete an adoption, New Beginnings will assist the family in transferring to another available program. If there is no suitable alternative, we will assist in finding another agency. Refunds are available if this should occur.

WHAT DOES YOUR AGENCY DO IF THE MEDICAL OR LEGAL STATUS OF AN ASSIGNED CHILD CHANGES AND HE OR SHE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION?

Although this is rare, it has happened. If there is a setback in the process, we will counsel you through the grief and work towards getting a new assignment for you as swiftly as possible. The primary goal at New Beginnings is to place a child in your home. We will continue to work with you to facilitate an adoption through its completion, despite any difficulties.

WE HAVE HEARD THE TERM “ORPHAN STATUS” AS WE HAVE EXPLORED INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW IT AFFECTS THE CHILDREN BEING PLACED?

In adopting a child, one assumes that he or she is an orphan. Orphan Status is a legal standard to assure that appropriate procedures have taken place to make the child legally available for adoption. The foreign organization directing the termination of parental rights (whether it be through surrender, abandonment or death), must conduct its process with integrity. New Beginnings works directly with all of our foreign organizations to assure that orphan status is rightfully obtained.

WE HAVE HEARD ENDLESS COMMENTS ON THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN ADOPTED OVERSEAS. HOW DOES NEW BEGINNINGS HANDLE MEDICAL CONCERNS WITH THE FAMILIES?

At the time that an assignment (referral) is made to a family, we encourage them to review all of the medical information and then have a medical specialist with experience in international adoption review it. We believe that all available information about the child and his or her birthparents should be disclosed to allow for an informed decision. If the specialist in international adoption requests additional medical information, we will convey that request to the foreign organization. These requests are usually honored. If pertinent medical information becomes known after the assignment, the foreign organization will make it available to you.