China

CCCWA Official Notice Regarding China Orphanage Donations

(Translation)

Announcement December 7, 2017

Government departments and adoption agencies of receiving countries,

It is a universal emotion of all peoples to care for the infants and minors, and it is a common practice in many countries for people with love to donate money and materials to child welfare institutions. Over the years, foreign adopters and adoption agencies have been actively donating to China’s child welfare institutions, which have played a positive role in promoting the child care level in the welfare  institutions  as  well  as finding proper placements for our children. In order to better regulate the act of donation by foreign adopters and  adoption  agencies  to  child welfare institutions, we hereby announce as follows:

Foreign adopters may donate out of free will to the child  welfare  institution after the adoption  registration  is finalized. The donation  shall be made on a voluntary basis, the donors shall have the right to decide on the quantity, purpose of use and form of donation, and the  two  parties shall make a donation agreement. Adoption agencies shall not coerce or induce adopters to make donations to child welfare institutions  against their wishes. If such case happens, CCCWA will suspend the cooperation with this adoption agency.

Please inform and remind adopters of this announcement accordingly.

China Centre for Children’s Welfare and Adoption

Waiting Children with Down Syndrome

Would you just look at these cuties! We are featuring all of your children who have Down Syndrome and need your help finding their forever families. We would love to speak with you about them! Please email us at Amanda@newbeginningsadoptions.org for more information. 

Quinn (September 2012)

Magnolia (July 2012)

Nashville (April 2013)

Official Notice from the CCCWA Regarding Changes to One-to-One Partnerships

Announcement

July 18, 2017

Relevant government departments and adoption agencies in receiving countries,

Following the enactment of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Administration of Activities of Overseas Non-Governmental Organizations within the Territory of China (hereinafter referred to as Administration Law) since January 1, we would like to notify as follows on relevant issues about the programs carried out by adoption agencies such as the One-to-One Assistance Program, Journey of Hope Program, and Summer/Winter Hosting Program based on the regulations of the Administrative law and conclusions of competent authorities:

  1. All activities concerning the One-to-One program, Journey of Hope Program, and Summer/Winter Hosting Program will be terminated. For children who have been assessed by adoption agencies through the One-to-One program before the enactment of the Administrative Law and whose reports have not been submitted to CCCWA, if their reports are submitted through the provincial department of civil affairs to CCCWA before December 31, 2017 (subjected to the approval date of the provincial department), CCCWA will post these files to the specific list of the original adoption agency. Agencies are requested to look for children within required deadline, otherwise the files will be withdrawn by CCCWA when the deadline is closing.
  2. Foreign adoption agencies should abide by the business scope specified in the registration when working in China. No activities with inter-country adoption as the purpose are allowed when agencies work in welfare and charity related activities.
  • Adoption agencies should look for adoptive families according to the requirements outlined in the Review Points for Decision on the Eligibility of Foreigners Adopting from China and avoid hasty placements without discretion within the deadline.

China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption Center

Changes to China’s Adoptive Parent’s Eligibility

I.      Age

  1. The prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) should reach the age of 30, and the age difference between the PAP and the adoptee should be not more than 50
  2. When a couple adopts together, the age difference should be counted based on the age of the younger

II.       Marital Status

  1. The PAP(s) should be a couple of one male and one female, or a single female with no homosexual
  2. In the adoption by a couple (couple adoption), the PAPs should have a stable marital status, either party should have not more than 2 divorces. If one party has no divorce history or 1 divorce, their current marriage should last not less than 2 If one party has 2 divorces, their current marriage should last not less than 5 years.
  3. In calculating the marriage lasting time for PAPs, the time living together before their marriage can be When calculating the number of divorces, widow and remarriage after divorce are not included.

III.       Health Conditions

The PAPs should be physically and mentally fit, with the ability to raise and educate the adoptee, but without any of the following conditions:

  • Intellectual disability;
  • HIV positive, or infectious disease that is actively contagious;
  • Schizophrenia;
  • Mental disorder including mania, depression, bipolar affective disorder, anxiety and phobia, etc. PAP(s) with minor symptoms and are under good control by taking medicine, assessed by a psychological professional as having no effects on their normal work and life and fit to care and educate the adoptee, will be exempt from this limitation;
  • Binocular blindness, binocular low vision or monocular blindness with no ocular prosthesis;
  • Severe facial deformation;
  • Binaural hearing loss or language function loss; PAPs who adopt children with identical conditions, or with one party of a couple healthy will be exempt from this limitation;
  • Non-function or dysfunction of limbs or trunk caused by impairment, incomplete limb, paralysis or deformation;
  • Diseases that require long-term treatment, and have bad prognosis which will affect PAPs’ child care ability such as lupus, nephrosis, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.; In a couple adoption, if one party is completely healthy and the other suffers any of such diseases but is under good control after treatment, they will be exempt from this limitation if they can provide a doctor’s note to attest that the illness has no effects on their normal work and life and fit for caring the adoptee;
  • Skin cancer, thyroid cancer, breast cancer and testicular cancer that has been cured for less than 3 years; other kinds of cancer or malignant tumor that has been cured less than 5 years;
  • Vital organ transplant within 10 years; In a couple adoption, if one party is healthy and the other party had organ transplant within 10 years but has recovered to live a normal life, they will be exempt from this limitation;
  • BMI (BMI=weight (kg)/ height2 (m2) )≥40;
  • Short stature or dwarfism; PAPs who adopt children with identical conditions will be exempt from this

IV Educational background

The PAPs should have received senior high school education or above, or vocational and technical skills education of the same level.

V. Family Financial Conditions

  1. The PAPs (at least one party of a couple in a couple adoption) should have stable occupation and income. The per-capita annual income of a family including the prospective adoptee should reach 10,000 USD; When calculating the family per-capita annual income in an adoption by a single parent, the number of family members should be one more than the actual family member number after adoption
  2. Couple adoption’s family net worth should reach 80,000 USD, and single adoption’s family net worth should reach 100,000
  3. Welfare allowance such as relief fund, pension, disability benefits, adoption subsidy, foster care subsidy and disabled child subsidy, are not included in the family annual income.
  4. Proper relaxation can be granted to foreigners living in China on the aspects of family annual income and net

VI.      Moral Characters

The PAPs should have no record of criminal penalties, have good moral characters, honorable behaviors and abide by laws and regulations, without any of the following circumstances:

  • a history of domestic violence, sex abuse, abandonment/abuse of children (even if they were not arrested or convicted);
  • a history of taking drugs including opium, morphine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, smokable methamphetamine and etc;
  • a history of alcohol abuse and have stopped drinking for less than 10

Adoption application will be given due consideration when the PAPs have had no more than 3 criminal records with minor violations and no severe outcomes, and the time for correction has reached 10 years; or have had no more than 5 records of traffic law violation with no severe outcomes.

VII.       Children in the House

  1. The adoption of orphans, disable children, or abandoned infants and children whose parents cannot be ascertained or found, are not subject to the requirement that the adopter should be
  2. The PAPs should have enough time and energy to take care of the minors in the house including the prospective adoptee. In a couple adoption, the number of minors living in the house of the PAPs should be not more than 5; in a single adoption, the number of minors in the house of the PAPs should be not more than
  3. The youngest child in the house should reach 3 years

VIII.      Adoption Frequency and Numbers

  1. Adopters should submit post placement reports as required after the adoption; There should be a 1 year interval between the second adoption application and the previous one (from the registration date of the previous adoption to the current adoption application date).
  2. In principle, the PAPs should adopt 1 child from China at a time.
  3. In a couple adoption, if adoptee is a twin or multiple births or have siblings, the adoption will be exempt from the limitation of item

VIII. Others

  1. The PAPs should receive pre-adoption training to have a correct cognition and understanding of the possible risks of inter-country adoption, be fully prepared for the adoption and care of the The PAPs should promise in the inter-country adoption application letter that they will not abandon or maltreat the child to be adopted, and will submit post placement reports as required.
  2. As for PAPs residing in countries other than their birth country, if they intend to apply to adopt from China, they should reside in countries which have cooperative relationship with China in inter-country adoption, or in contracting states of the Hague
  3. This document does not apply to stepchild adoptions. As for the adoption of a child belonging to a collateral relative by blood of the same generation and up to the third degree of kinship, relaxation will be granted properly.
  4. Time or age is calculated based on the adoption application dossier’s log-in-date at CCCWA.
  5. This document shall enter into force as of the date of issuance. In the event of any inconsistency between this document and previous CCCWA regulations or notices, the review points of this document shall

 

China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption

 

 

To Bring or Not to Bring Your Children When You Travel?

To Bring or Not to Bring Your Children When You Travel?

Most agencies I have talked with discourage families from bringing older children on the adoption trip, but I don’t think it’s so cut and dry. Whether to take an older child with you depends on the age and personality of the older child, the age of the new child, your agency’s attitude, the referral method, the parents’ travel experience, the parents’ adoption experience, and the adoption process in the country.

To BringNot To Bring
No one able to stay with older child at home and both parents need or want to travel.Want to focus undivided attention on new child without having to balance the needs of older child.
Adoption trip is too long to leave older child.Older child is not flexible, doesn’t handle change well, or is extremely shy.
Belief that adoption is a family affair; the whole family is adopting, not just the parents.Older child is a picky eater.
The trip is a time for the family to bond without the pressures of work and everyday life.Older child does not play well by himself and needs TV, video games, and toys for entertainment.
Older child may feel resentful of new child for being the reason his parents went away.Better to postpone dealing with sibling rivalry until you aren’t under the stress of traveling.
Helps older child understand new child better if he sees where he came from.Expense of airfare and in country travel costs.
New child often bonds first with a sibling and can learn how to relate to parents by watching and emulating older child.Want to avoid the possibility of older child getting sick in a foreign country.
Educational experience if child is old enough. Can study the country as a family before the trip by reading books, watching videos, and preparing food.Older child may get behind on school work.
Lessens anxiety of parents if the adoption process gets delayed in country.Puts less pressure on getting home soon.Older child too young to remember the trip so why spend the money.
Children open up your experience of a new culture.People in many countries love to interact with your children.Who will take care of older child while parents attend to the business of adoption such as court hearings and trips to passport office.
Consider this to be a family trip of a lifetime and want all family members to be a part of it.Not all orphanages will allow the older child in the orphanage with you when you are visiting with your new child.
Parents are comfortable travelers who embrace new experiences and cultures.Additional luggage and laundry.
Parents are fairly relaxed about the adoption experience so stress won’t be too high.Don’t want older child to have to get immunization shots if required.
Depending on ages and personalities, older child can be a help to parents by entertaining new child.If traveling in a group, older children may not be welcomed.

 

If you decide to take an older child, talk with your agency at the beginning to gauge their attitude. Some families recommend bringing a grandparent or friend along to stay with the older child while the parents are tied up elsewhere; otherwise, one parent can stay with the older child while the other parent runs around. If you decide to leave the older child at home, consider whether one parent should stay home with her to minimize the disruption in her life. If this is not possible or desirable, it is usually less disruptive if someone familiar to the older child moves into your house and stays with her there.

Blog Credit: Creating A Family

A Voice for the Voiceless

A Voice for the Voiceless

When we returned home five years ago from China with our daughter, I honestly never thought I would return. The heartache I felt as I saw so many orphans, almost all special needs, was nearly too much to take in. We had never considered adoption before. Especially because we had three biological sons already.  We didn’t think adoption was God’s plan for our lives. But as scripture tells us, His ways are not our ways.  He did impress on our hearts that we were to adopt. And to adopt from China. To say that we have seen & experienced God’s hand all over our daughter’s life would be an understatement. I still honestly don’t know why He has allowed us to play a small part in her story. She is only nine years old and we are in awe of His perfect provision for her.

After being home with her for only months, my heart began to ache for the precious ones left behind. I could see their faces, knew some of their names. I felt compelled to do something more. Adopt again, foster, advocate. I didn’t know what, but I knew I could not do nothing. God had done a miracle in my life as well.  The scriptures James 1:27, Psalm 68:5, Deuteronomy 10:18 & so many others became REAL to me. I realized they were commands to ALL believers, not just those that dealt with infertility. I shared our story via blog often. I advocated as much as possible through social media for many organizations that promote adoption. We began sponsoring children from China and Uganda. I felt better. Like I was doing something. But I knew I could do more. I prayed for God to open doors as He saw fit.

When my pastor’s wife, Leanne Lewis, was contacted by New Beginnings about an advocacy trip to China to assess the needs of orphans who needed forever families, she said she immediately thought of me. She told me to pray about it and if I felt led to go that I was to contact Cori Taylor.  I knew immediately that I did not have to pray about it for one second. And I knew that my family would support me 100% because they knew that this was exactly where my heart was.  I was right.

Almost exactly 5 years after returning home from China with my daughter, I was on a plane headed back to the country I honestly never thought I would return to. This time I was with a group of people with one common goal – advocate for special needs orphans. Be a voice for the voiceless. It wasn’t easy on this mama’s heart to spend time with these precious children for days, and then have to leave them behind. I still see their sweet faces and think about them often. This time however, I know that I can have a part in helping their forever families find them.  It is such a humbling feeling to know that I may play a small part in changing an orphan into a son or daughter. This advocacy trip was hopefully one of many I will get to go on. The saying is true…”Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names.”

Did you know Christians outnumber orphans 15 to 1? 

To act upon God’s call to care for orphans is not merely a matter of duty or guilt. It is a response to the good news, the Gospel:  that God, our Father, sought us, adopted us, and invites us to live as His sons and daughters. We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19).

No one can do everything. But everyone can do something.

What role does God want you to play in orphan care today?

Blog Credit: Jennifer Bolen
5 Tips for Surviving Summer with Adopted Kids (from Hard Places)

5 Tips for Surviving Summer with Adopted Kids (from Hard Places)

Summer vacation is right around the corner for most of us. Plans for family vacations, lounging pool side, and hitting the amusement parks are fun to anticipate together as a family, but the change from a regimented school-year routine to the less-structured schedule of summer break can be quite overwhelming and unsettling for many adopted kids who have been abused or neglected or come from “hard places.”

At the root of that feeling of “overwhelm” is often fear of change or insecurity about where he or she fits in the new routine.

Whether your child struggles with sensory challenges , prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs, or attachment issues there are a few important things you can do to prepare your family for the change in routine. These things can also help you understand their struggles more clearly and help you manage everyone’s expectations a little more effectively. I’ve found these tips to be very helpful in setting us up for a great few months of fun together, making great memories and refreshing us, with minimal drama in the mix.

Surviving the Summer with Adopted Kids from Hard Places

1. Change is Hard

Acknowledge that any change, even for something as happy as SUMMER BREAK! is hard for many kids. Consider offering a very tangible ending point of the school-year schedule before heading into the new routine. For example, I give a “hiatus” from any schedules for a couple days before I introduce the new summer schedule. Two or three days of sleeping in, swimming whenever we feel like it, lunches (sometimes dinners too) with a favorite movie if it’s rainy, and even some staying up extra late. Never plan dentist appointments in those first three days. Just trust me on that one.

2. Set New Routine

Be very intentional about setting a new routine. Even if it’s a more laid-back sort of schedule, a new routine will provide a sense of security and boundary for your kids who struggle with change. Communicate clearly, in advance, that you are doing so and make sure that you give time and grace to find your new groove. For younger children, post a picture schedule for them to follow that is revised from their school year schedule. In setting the new routine, be very intentional to also structure it simply, with plenty of down-time for your kids. Surviving the summer with adopted kids from hard places means healthy doses of mental and emotional down time, even if it’s “scheduled” down time!

3. Create Traditions

Build events into that routine that your child(ren) can count on. The kids need to be able to count on some favorites that reinforce security and predictability. If you are a family of readers, schedule a “library day” for the same day of each week. Regular play dates, Family Fun Nights, picnics in the park – get ideas from your kids for what they’d like to do weekly. The added bonus is that giving them a voice will speak love to them and send the message that they can count on you to meet their needs.

4. Buddy Up!

A buddy system is another tool that works well for building trust and reinforcing security. This is especially true for the days when activities are a bit unpredictable. Think of it as an added layer of emotional safety for your kid who struggles. If you have a wide range of ages in your home, consider partnering up an older kid with a younger one. Pair them up for specific activities, especially on days when you might be trying something new or going somewhere special. Giving your little ones a “safe person” in addition to Mom or Dad increases security amid the different experiences or environments. It’s also a sneaky way to reinforce team work and cooperation between siblings.

5. Use What You Already Know

Finally, use what you already know to drive it all! You likely already know what drives your kid to succeed. You’ve figured out what makes your household run peacefully and your kids to grow in character. Decide now that this summer you can reinforce those things in fun ways. Look for opportunities to really make this summer break work FOR you. Offering the motivation to pursue what your child loves can also help you re-frame difficulties like sensory challenges or behavior struggles into opportunities for you and your child to taste success together. Honing in on what you know makes them feel successful is one of the keys to surviving the summer with your adopted kids from hard places.

By the end of the school year, most of us are really looking forward to the change in routine. While the change will be good for us all, it’s also important to remember that even great changes can be hard for our kids. Preparing ways to manage those transitions well and having a plan in place to do that can help you do MORE than just survive the summer together. It can help you thrive!

I’d love to hear about the things you do to make your change of routine more manageable for your family!

Blog Credit:Creating A Family

Adoption: My Heart

Adoption: My Heart

In October of 2016, I had the amazing opportunity to combine my passions into one unforgettable experience.

I received a phone call, months earlier, inviting me to travel with New Beginnings to China. The purpose of the trip would be to meet and love on precious orphan children, assess their mental and physical needs, and to hopefully prepare them for their God-appointed forever families. I would travel with a team consisting of our fearless leader-Tom Velie, a fun-loving photographer-Trent Baker, a quiet, yet compassionate, Physical Therapist- David Washington, an adoptive mom with a huge heart for orphans, Jennifer Bolen, who would act as an advocate. My job as a Nurse Practitioner would be to evaluate the health of these children and begin to help piece the medical information that we had, or didn’t have, together in order to provide waiting families as much documentation as possible.

This was perfect! I love adoption, being that I am an adoptive mom of two precious boys, and I love to travel! What more could you ask for!?! Well, maybe a shorter flight! After 24+ hours of travel, we made it to Changsha, China.

The food….I consider myself cultured but not when it comes to food. Each host poured out their very best for us and lavished our team with their local delicacies. The Changsha Province is known for spicy foods, and they live up to that reputation. I was not one of the strong team members who could withstand the heat!

While in China, we were able to visit 3 different orphanages. We were only able to assess children at 2 of those locations. Each orphanage had its distinct characteristics, but they all had precious children who need forever families. The children’s health needs varied from one end of the spectrum to the other. Despite any health limitations, all of the children cherished the love and attention that we were there to give, leaving a lasting impression on our hearts.

Once our tasks were completed, we left Changsha and traveled to Beijing. Our translator and guide, Rocky, was amazing. He took us to see the great sights such as The Great Wall of China,  Tiananmen Square, a Rickshaw tour of a Hutong, the Pearl Market and the Jade Market. It was truly a beautiful city to admire.

We were there with a mission to complete, but it was the mission that began to tug at my heart. Yes, our purpose was to evaluate the children, but what is our true purpose here on this earth? Whether in China or in Mississippi, we are called to share the love of Jesus Christ by loving one another and caring for the orphans. The Bible commands this of us in James 1:27 and John 13:34-35.

Who will do this if we do not?

We have a God-given responsibility. Whether that is to PRAY for these children, their caregivers and their future forever families, to GIVE towards grants to help families adopt these children, or we may be called to ADOPT.

What responsibility are you called to?

I challenge you to pray about this, negate all excuses and see how God is prepared to bless you.

    

   

   

Blog Credit: Leanne Lewis

Photos: Trent Baker

How Can I Become an Adoption Advocate?

How Can I Become an Adoption Advocate?

This is the golden question! The good news is you do not have to be a social worker or even an adoptive parent to help advocate for waiting children. It’s so simple to be an advocate for these children. When you look at their faces, it is the next natural thing to share their story. Here are some simple ways you can get started:

  1. Social Media! Use social media to share about the orphan crisis –  some numbers quote over 732,000 children are without parents in China.  Most of the waiting children in China are boys.  All these beautiful waiting children have some degree of special needs.
  2. Share our Posts! Post about an individual child when their story touches your heart.  You can always share our NB Promise Kids posts. This not only brings awareness to the orphan crisis but can also help that individual child to be united with his or her forever family.
  3. Share with your Community! Speak to your community or fellowship institution about promoting how many children are waiting in China, things you can do to help with the orphan crisis and how to help these children to find forever families.
  4. Offer Your Services! Donate to a reputable orphan outreach. For example, Love Without Boundaries, One Sky, or assist us with the Promise Kid’s mission to help all children find their forever family.
  5. Advocate in Your State! Speak to your state representatives about being supportive of International adoption.
  6. Prayer! Start a prayer circle for the children who wait.  Ask your friends to assist you. This also raises awareness of every individual child.
  7. Support Other Families! Support local families in the adoption process or those who have recently adopted. Once you begin sharing your heart for any one child, it’s amazing how quickly you become connected with the whole adoption community.  Cooking a dinner or offering to pick up groceries may give a family recently home a much needed helping hand.

Lastly, any one thing you do for any child moves the process along, brings awareness, helps global or individuals all come together to assist all children.  Everyone can contribute to finding every child a home, and a forever family.

Look in our upcoming blogs for information and some easy fast facts about China adoption.  You can use these fast facts in helping you advocate!

Importance of Routines for Newly Adopted Older Kids

Importance of Routines for Newly Adopted Older Kids

Why are routines so important for newly adopted older kids?

According to Dr. Victor Groza, children benefit from structure, routine and predictability as they transition into a new home. Sometimes they have been in chaotic environments in addition to being maltreated. As a first step in healing and connecting, knowing what is expected and when it is expected is important. For the parent, having consistency and initially more rigidity, you can begin to see in what ways your child might struggle or you understand some skills they need to be taught. You shouldn’t assume they know or have been taught the basics like manners, hygiene, or how to participate in family life. You can begin the task of helping them learn to live in your family within a consistent structure. Children learn the skills of living in your family by having routine and predictability.

 

Credit: Creating A Family

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