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Update: China Adoption Program
As has been widely reported in the international news, the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) recently published new eligibility guidelines for adoptive parents. These new guidelines describe the “preferred” adoptive couple. The CCAA prefers couples who are in stable marriages of at least two years. (Couples with previous divorces must be married at least 5 years.) Both members of the couple should be between 30 and 50 years old; physically and mentally healthy, with a body mass index of 40 or less, with no criminal or alcohol/drug abuse history and at least a high school education. The couple should have no more than 4 minor children at home, stable employment, and a minimum net worth of $80,000. The CCAA does not say that only “preferred” couples are eligible to adopt, so to some degree, they may consider other families on a case-by-case basis. These new guidelines will be fully implemented beginning May 1, 2007.
The effect of the new eligibility guidelines will be to reduce the number of adoption applicants, a move that the CCAA felt it had to make in order to bring into balance the number of parent applications and children eligible for international adoption. Currently, the CCAA reports that they have had an extraordinary number of parent applications – far more than there are children available. This explains the very long wait time for a referral. (The wait time now is approximately 16 months after the dossier is logged-in at the CCAA.)
These changes are difficult for some families. Christian World Adoption will assist families who no longer qualify for a China adoption to find another program. However, the guidelines can also be understood as China’s attempt to deal with the referral backlog, and to reduce the referral wait time. Seen in this light, the new guidelines serve a positive purpose and will benefit both children and families in the future.
We are pleased to see more special needs children being placed with loving families. The percentage of special needs children in China’s children’s welfare centers is rising, so there is a need for parents willing and able to care for them. In 2006, over 50% of the Chinese children that our agency placed were children with special needs! We post the children’s photographs in our office and rejoice when each child is chosen by a “forever family”. Thank you for your prayers for them! |
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