China Adoption: Process, Children, Timing

China Adoption:
Process, Children, Timing

**As of November 2020, the CCCWA announced an indefinite suspension of adoption processes due to COVID-19. We are continuing to monitor any updates and we will manage this course when any status changes.**

What is the process of adopting from China? What are the general characteristics and needs of children awaiting adoption, and the in-country conditions that affect them? What is the expected timing and what impacts this timing, including the foreseeable delays and impediments to finalizing an adoption? In this course, we interview Stefani Ellison who has worked in Chinese adoption for 25 years and has adopted 9 kids from China.

This course covers the following topics:

Basic process for adopting from China:
1. Apply to an adoption agency that is accredited under the Hague Treaty.
2. Complete the Home Study Process with the agency or a Local Hague Accredited Social Worker that is approved by your agency.
3. Submit Approved Home Study.
4. Apply and obtain I-800A Approval from USCIS.
5. Compile your dossier for China.
6. Obtain document certification at state, embassy and Department of State levels. Authenticated documents are returned to agency for dossier submission to China.
7. Dossier is uploaded to the online system and a hard copy is sent to CCCWA for registration.
8. Family receives official referral (Letter Seeking Confirmation) from China.
9. I-800 submitted and approval issued.
10. Family submits for Chinese Visa.
11. Family receives Article 5 approval and travel approval. A travel schedule is completed, and a consulate appointment is scheduled.
12. Family travels to China to bring their child home.
Process once in China.
What are the ages of children available for international adoption from China?
What percentage of these available kids are boys?
Currently, in China there are only children waiting for inter-country adoption who have special medical needs or who are considered medically healthy but over the age of 8-10 years old. Children may be adopted up to their 14th birthday but become ineligible for adoption after 14 years old.
What are the different “categories” of special needs children?
The two major groups of designations for children within the Waiting Child Program.
1. Non-Special Focus (NSF) - generally the youngest children and generally have what are considered the most “minor” special needs, although what is minor to one family may be significant to another. Only families who have completed dossiers that are logged in at the CCCWA in Beijing are eligible to lock these children.
2. The second and largest group, Special Focus (SF) - prospective families may "lock" these files as soon as they have a completed home study. These children generally have more significant special needs or are older in age.
What type of special needs are the most common in the non-special focus and the special focus groups?
What are the in-country conditions that affect children in China?
How common is foster care in China?
How common is prenatal exposure in kids adopted from China?
How long is the wait when adopting from China?
Can parents still specify that they want a child as young as possible with a medically correctable special need?
What are the foreseeable delays and impediments to the finalization of an adoption?
What are the eligibility requirements for adoptive parents?
1. Age?
2. Length of marriage?
3. Number of divorces?
4. Children already in the family?
5. Single woman?
6. Sexual orientation?
How long is the travel time in country?
What type of post adoption reports are required?

*This course includes a 1-hour conversational audio lesson, a 10-question quiz, and a certificate of completion with the successful completion of the quiz at 80%.

Your course will remain active for 180 days from purchase date.