FAC has been accredited by the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) to place children for adoption since 1994. During the last few years, the CCCWA has created a new and more comprehensive system of referring children with special needs for adoptive placement, which required adoption agencies to be approved to help the CCCWA find permanent homes for those children. There are currently two different systems in place in China for international adoption; one “track” to adopt a child with no known or minimal medical/developmental needs, and the other “track” for adoption of children who are waiting for a family.  Waiting children are typically referred to as “special needs” children. The designation of special needs includes a wide range of issues that contribute to a child not being readily matched with an adoptive family. Children can be waiting because of their age, because they have a medical condition that requires treatment (or is permanent and not treatable), or delayed development that can be minor or quite significant. Adoptive families must choose which type of Chinese adoption program they wish to pursue.

Although we have been facilitating adoptions of healthy children from China for many years, in 2009 FAC was approved to begin placing special needs children from China. China periodically evaluates the work of accredited agencies, and FAC has consistently received excellent performance reviews. The positive working relationship with the Chinese government is due, in part, to our facilitator based in Beijing - Cai Xi Jing. Ms. Cai has worked for FAC since the inception of our China adoption program in 1994 and is FAC’s representative with the CCCWA and U.S. Consulate. She is an educated, competent professional who speaks fluent English as well as Mandarin. Based on her extensive experience, Ms. Cai is very knowledgeable regarding the international adoption of Chinese children. She oversees the adoption process of all FAC families, including those who adopt through the special needs program, monitoring cases as they move through the various departments of the CCCWA. She assists with all travel plans and assures that things go smoothly as families complete their adoption process in China.

 

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN NEEDING FAMILIES

There are many children of all ages waiting for adoptive families; these children are currently residing in orphanages (or occasionally foster homes) throughout China.

Although healthy Chinese children needing adoptive families are primarily girls, there are children with special needs of both genders available and waiting for adoption.  The youngest children available for adoption in the waiting/special needs program are approximately 12-18 months of age at the time of placement, but many available children are considerably older. The special needs of these children in some cases is simply their older age, while others have correctable needs such as a cleft lip or palate, or orthopedic issues. Many children waiting for adoptive homes have more serious medical/developmental concerns and a wide range of needs. Please inquire with one of our offices to learn more about the types of special needs that are common.

“Referrals” of children include photographs and information regarding the child’s health and developmental status and daily routine. Any known medical information is also available, including but not limited to reports from hospitals or physicians that have treated the child’s condition. The information contained in child referrals is usually based on examinations done some time ago. For most children, family history is not available due to their history of abandonment.

Information regarding waiting children can only be accessed on the CCCWA website by agencies that have been approved to place special needs children from China.  All approved agencies have access to the same list of waiting children.  FAC routinely monitors this list with approved adoptive families in mind. Once a prospective adoptive family has a homestudy completed and approved by FAC, we will begin reviewing the waiting child list to see if any of the children who are available for placement meet the medical/developmental needs criteria that individual families have agreed upon with their social worker. FAC immediately contacts approved families when we have identified a child whose information we would like them to review. FAC will then “lock-in” that child’s file through the CCCWA website, and the child information will be sent for the family’s review and to be shared with any involved professional with whom the family wishes to consult. The CCCWA gives agencies 72 hours to respond once a child file is “locked” and therefore, adoptive families must make a decision quickly about whether or not they wish to proceed with adoption of a specific child.

Families who are considering adopting a waiting child from China should identify a physician (preferably one who specializes in international adoption) with whom they can discuss and develop a list of medical/developmental needs that they would feel comfortable dealing with. We can provide a list of international adoption resources for you to consider. We also recommend that each adoptive family makes arrangements with their physician to have child information reviewed quickly after FAC has locked in a child file. During the homestudy process, families will complete a comprehensive medical needs checklist to help identify the types of needs that they are open to and feel capable of handling. This detailed information will be critical to help FAC successfully match each family with a child who is appropriate for their family.

 

WHO CAN ADOPT FROM CHINA?

Residence:

FAC welcomes inquires from anyone interested in adopting from China. Families throughout the U.S. are welcome to apply. FAC will provide all services (homestudy, placement, post-placement) to applicants residing in the states of Michigan and Ohio. Families who reside in other states must obtain certain required services from an agency in their state of residence. FAC “partners” with a number of agencies throughout the US.

Marriage:

Applicants who have not been previously married must be married a minimum of 2 years. If any applicant has been previously married, the current marriage must be married a minimum of 5 years. No more than 2 divorces per spouse are permitted. Single females are eligible to adopt children with a “special focus” designation on the special needs system of the CCCWA.

Age:

Parents between the ages of 30-55 are eligible to adopt a child with special needs. For single applicants over 50, there must be no more than a 45 year age difference between the parent and child to be adopted.

Education:

Each applicant must have the minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent.

Children:

For married applicants, there can be no more than 4 children under the age of 18 currently in the home. The youngest child must be at least one year old at the time of the dossier submission. For single applicants, no more than 2 children under the age of 18 and the youngest should have reached the age of 6 years old.

Income:

A minimum of $10,000 per family member (including the child to be adopted) derived from a stable employment source. Adoptive couples must have a minimum of $80,000 in net assets. For single applicants, net assets must exceed $100,000.

Criminal Record:

Applicants with no criminal convictions are preferred. Some exceptions may be made, depending on the nature of the crime and when it occurred. Contact FAC to discuss your personal situation prior to applying to adopt from China.

Health:

Good health strongly preferred. Each applicant must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or less. To determine body mass, refer to http://www.nhlbisupport.com. Applicants must have a normal life expectancy and/or no restrictions to their daily living. Infectious disease, chronic or long term physical or mental health diagnosis, and history of alcohol or drug abuse should be discussed with FAC prior to application eligibility.

 

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

The pre-adoption process (application, adoption study, immigration approval, and dossier preparation) will take most applicants 4-6 months. Once the homestudy process is completed, FAC can begin monitoring the list of “special needs” children to identify a child. The “wait” time for matching an individual family with a child varies depending upon the severity of special needs the family will consider, as well as the age and gender of the child they wish to adopt.

Once a child is accepted by an adoptive family, FAC informs the CCCWA of their interest in adopting the child and we must wait for the CCCWA to approve the match. After this approval is granted, a typical Chinese waiting child adoption takes 6-8 months, depending on whether or not the family’s dossier has already been submitted to China.

 

DO WE HAVE TO TRAVEL TO CHINA?

Yes! The adoption of a Chinese child will be processed and finalized in China. At least one parent must be present to complete the adoption and to apply for the child’s visa to enter the United States at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China. While it is possible for only one parent of a married couple to travel to complete the adoption and bring the child home, FAC recommends that both parents travel if at all possible. If you are already parenting children, they may also accompany you to China. The opportunity to visit and learn about your child’s country of birth is very special and may be a “once in a lifetime” experience. The time in China spent with your child before coming home to all the demands of daily living is a great way to begin the experience of parenting an adopted child. The time together will enhance the bonding process for your child and his/her new family.

Most families spend two weeks in China. Families sometimes wish to fly into Beijing, spend a few days sightseeing, and then fly to the province where their child resides. All families must travel to the city of Guangzhou, China to apply for their child’s visa following the finalization of their adoption in the capital city of the province where their child resided. Ms. Cai will arrange sightseeing in Beijing, the provincial capital of your child’s orphanage, and in Guangzhou. Families can return to the U.S. with their child as soon as the child’s visa has been issued. FAC provides extensive assistance with families’ travel plans. Ms. Cai makes all the arrangements for your adoption and stay within China – from uniting you with your child and completing the adoption to airfare, hotel accommodations, sightseeing, and even shopping!