Advice please

Taiwan is a very small country and reasonably prosperous, so there are very few children available. Each American agency works with one or more social welfare organizations in Taiwan, and if those organizations aren't getting many healthy infants, the agencies will not want to create long waiting lists by taking more families than they think they will be able to match with children. That is why many American agencies aren't taking new applications. Remember that you do not need to work with an agency in your state, as long as you have a local homestudy. So broaden your search and start emailing or calling agencies nationwide. Sharon

Hi, We completed adopted our son from Taiwan last year. Sharron is right that it is a small program, and has stayed small even when the number of potential adoptive parents has dramatically increased. I believe in 2007, there were 187 visas issued to US and I think there were 235 in 2008. Taiwan also works with Australia, Europe and Japan. Anyway, you are right that many programs are not accepting applicants. I do want to point out that there is a disproportionate number of families adopting request "girl only." I know that in my agency's infant program which matches about 40 families per year, 38 families requested girls only. The number of baby boys and girls available in Taiwan is typically equal/similiar to birth rates. If you are interested in a healthy, infant son, I believe there are agenies that will accept your application (in fact, I can think of two off the top of my head). Given the imbalance of boy vs girls request, at this point, if you say "boy" or "either" , you'll be matched with a boy. Also, if you are interested in only a girl, I would talk to agencies and see when they anticipate on accepting new applicants. In years past, I've seen programs open right around now (Jan. or Feb.). Nothing is ever clockwork in the world of adoption, but agencies may be able to estimate when their programs will be accepting new applicants.

Thank you both so much for responding! We will keep it all in mind as we proceed. We'll be looking at as many agencies as we can. Thank you!

Would you mind PMing me the names of those agencies accepting applications, please? Thank you very much!

I have been in Taiwan adoption for about 4 years now and I work with missionaries in Taiwan as a volunteer to help place children. According to my sources, there are LOTS of children in Taiwan. There are approximately 32 orphanages in Taiwan, most of which are full, and a foster care system. Now Taiwan courts do not like TPRing on parents. They don't like to do this even with great reason. So, what is happening is several things. The orphanages that are placing or are contracted to a placing orphanage, yes, they show few available children because the orphanage is mainly full of children that the court will not TPR on. While this is happening the children needing homes are not getting noticed as easily therefore not placed. This is why the foster care programs are working faster and easier. But few agencies have a "dedicated foster care program" while others "dip" into the foster care program. There isn't as much of a "bed availability" policy with foster care. There are laws in TAiwan just like here. ONly so many children per sq foot of living space and play space inside and outside of the orphanage is allowed. AND per so many children there has to be a care provider at all times available. This causes problems for the orphanages and therefore the ones that are pridominantly "baby nurseries" for say 2 and under do not have room based on these standards not being met. There are plenty of women placing in Taiwan, but there are 2 new placement entities in Taiwan, though small that are placing children. Right now, these new entities are trying to give the unwed mother more choices than the usual feeling they need to abort. They are doing this by way of support and counseling for the unwed mother and also providing them with the ability to place for adoption and education and support to keep and raise their child. Basically it boils down to that the orphanages are not moving children fast enough (some due to slow judging), they don't TPR as quickly as they could, and some orphanages or Unwed mother homes are not staffed sufficiently enough to handle the full amount of mother's and babies that they could. I hope this doesn't confuse things more for you guys. The families in line are waiting mainly on girls. This is true. In our organization we have seen 1-2 healthy girls out of maybe 12 referrals. The odds are not great for girl adoptions in Taiwan right now and hasn't been for a long time. When we adopted Jer over 2 years ago, it was mainly girl families waiting then also and boys coming in with no waiting families available to take them. Many families are now considering mild special needs from Taiwan but Taiwan doesn't not lable much as special needs. What most countries would consider special needs Taiwan considers healthy. If you are willing to take a boy or a special need child, or go through foster care program, then you may wait less time and such. Anyways, I hope this helps.