Adopting from China

Applying to the program for relatively healthy young babies and children is not recommended at this time, and many agencies are no longer accepting applications from either Chinese or non-Chinese families. Current wait times for non-expedited families are over five years, and some people believe that by the time a current applicant reaches the head of the line, wait times will be much longer, maybe as much as ten years, or China will no longer maintain the program. Expedited referrals because of Chinese heritage -- granted only to families with specific characteristics -- probably will cut only a year or less off the wait. On the other hand, it is still possible to apply for the special needs programs and complete an adoption in a reasonable time frame. The best thing to do would be to look at the lists that various agencies maintain, and see the types of special needs that the children have. That way, you could get an idea of whether you think you could meet the needs of a child in this program. It is unlikely that children with cleft lip alone will be on the lists. Cleft lips are usually repaired in China. Many children who are referred have repaired cleft lips and unrepaired cleft palates. Some of these children will need multiple surgical procedures, plus speech therapy and a good deal of dental work. If you adopt a child with cleft palate, you should have good health insurance. In general, the younger the children on the lists, the more significant their medical conditions will be. There are school aged children who may have no medical issues, but who are on the lists because families don't tend to want older children and, especially, boys 10 and older. Of course, only you can decide whether you consider a particular special need significant, or whether you can handle the issues of an older child who may have had some negative life experiences. I might accept a child who is Hepatitis B positive, but you might not be comfortable with some of the potential issues. Many people on this list choose to adopt children with limb differences, such as a missing hand or forearm, since these children generally do not require special medical attention and are often amazingly able to do everything that other kids do, but you might prefer a special need that is not so "visible". And you are going to have to decide whether you are more comfortable with a healthy school aged child or a toddler with a fairly serious congenital heart defect. Talk to people on this list about the different special needs programs available through China. Expect to hear terms like agency specific list, shared list, and special focus. I hope that you will find the child whose needs you can meet, and who will fit your family perfectly. Sharon