These country updates bring you the most current and up-to-date information from our program coordinators. One way of keeping you informed of what is going on in the country.
January 2012
What a wonderful way to start this New Year with your adopted child from China joining your family! We welcomed home yet another family on New Year’s Eve. The year 2012 will be wonderful for them and it could be just as wonderful for you, too. All you need to do is submit your application to the WC China program and you might even spend next Christmas in China!
This year is also significant as the Year of the Dragon! Mythical legend claims that Chinese people are descended from the dragon. In ancient China, the celestial Dragon represented an emperor and power. Today, it is the ultimate auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness. The Chinese New Year is actually January 23, 2012 but in China, most governmental offices are closed for the celebration for nearly two weeks, so the holiday is through February 9, 2012. Your local community might be sponsoring a celebratory event. I encourage you to attend and learn what some of the holiday traditions are. You might even be able to feed the dragon cabbage!
Please check the agency web site and learn more about the WC Child program. I think you will enjoy the introductory webinar information, featuring one of our families journey to China.
Xin Nian Kuai Le! (Happy New Year in Mandarin) – Carol Galvin
Waiting Child Notice: Carolina Adoption Services has had a longstanding, positive relationship with the CCCWA. CAS has an excellent reputation for the work done in China and was provided the opportunity to work with Special Needs Children just this last June. This week CAS was surprised by a contact from CCCWA expressing concern regarding the use of the shared list to match children and families. Our program facilitator for Special Needs is registered at CCCWA with other agencies. It is our understanding that CCCWA is concerned about a single facilitator operating appropriately for locking children’s files when representing more than one agency. This agency takes their concerns very seriously and intends to review the matching process immediately. Corrective action is underway and will be implemented in an acceptable and approved process with the CCCWA. Carolina Adoption Services has a commitment to the highest standards of practice. Our program remains open and we will continue to provide services to families as we work closely with CCCWA.
December 2011
While you were celebrating Thanksgiving here in the United States, two of our WC China families were in China, each receiving their young daughter and having their Thanksgiving in China. What a wonderful blessing to be thankful! And we have another family soon to travel and have Christmas in China. Celebrating a holiday in another country is a great cultural experience!
China does not place the same importance on Christmas as the United States since there are fewer Christians among the general population in that country. Christians in China typically light their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorate their Christmas trees with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. In China, the holiday tree is called a Tree of Light. Chinese children hang muslin stockings at home and wait for Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means “Christmas Old Man.”
The end of the year is often a time of reflection for many of us. Our WC China program has seen many families come together during 2011, which we are so happy about! However, in the case of the many waiting children, more is better and we hope to have more adoptive families, including YOU. Make your New Year’s resolution to submit an application for your waiting child in China. You could spend the holidays in China next year too!
Carol Galvin, 757.478.3313
November 2011
November in China is a bit quieter. There are no public holidays and the weather is beginning to turn cooler, especially in northern China. It is considered a great time to travel and visit this wonderful country, rich in history and culture. There are so many everyday items that we do not always remember originated in China. In a child’s world, dominoes, kites and hacky sacks all began in China, just to name a few.
Due to recent changes by the China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption, we will no longer be able to photo list waiting children for you on our web site. There are still so many, many children waiting for their Forever Family. There are boys and girls of all ages with minor, correctable conditions as well as needs of a more serious nature. In talking with potential families I have found that so many people think of a special needs program as a program for children who are only seriously ill. That is not the case. I strongly encourage you to call and talk about the program if you have even the slightest interest. There is so much to share and discuss. We always have reference families who have already completed the program and are more than willing to share their experience with you, answer questions, etc. That might be just what you need to hear to make your final decision.
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving season with family and friends…………..
Carol Galvin, 757.478.3313
October 2011
It is very exciting for us to see so many single women applying to adopt from China! We continue to have new families join this program who are not only from single women but couples as well.
The length of time from application to travel remains about one year or less in some cases. As you can imagine, there are several variables within the adoption journey which might change your expected travel date, either shorter or longer.
Please be sure to check the CAS web site for a new photo listing of children who are in need of a loving family. The children we are advocating for are from the shared list. These listings are password protected so you will need to call or email me, Carol Galvin, to gain access. I have additional information about each child that may be shared.
If you think this program might be for you but you are not absolutely sure, contact our reference families who have already completed their adoptions. They are more than willing to share their experience with you, answer questions, etc. That might be just what you need to hear to make your final decision.
As always, email or call with any questions that you have. It is always best to have your questions answered and to gather as much information as possible about any adoption program so that you may make the best decision for your family.
Carol Galvin, 757.478.3313
September 2011
Have you ever eaten a Mooncake? There is no time like the present to have a tasty treat that all of China enjoys in celebration of the Moon Festival, also known as the Mid Autumn Festival or Lantern Festival. This holiday is equal in importance to the Chinese New Year. It is a time for farmers to celebrate their harvests. This year the holiday falls on September 12, 2011, at the time of the full moon. Your community may have a local celebration. It is always a fun time and a family event. There are many children’s books written about the holiday also.
You may enjoy the richness of the Chinese culture even more by adopting one of the many waiting children in the China program and sharing these cultural celebrations as a family in your own home. It is a wonderful way to blend your child’s dual heritage. So many children are longing for a family to love as their own and create their own holiday traditions.
You may email me anytime to discuss the program in further detail or ask as many questions as you would like. This program continues to be open to new families who meet the China pre-requisites, including single women. Carol Galvin, program coordinator.
August 2011
August is full of activity in the WC China program! We had two families travel the first week of the month to meet their respective daughter for the first time in person and bring her home. Both of these families are adopting school age children and the waiting children are so excited to have their Forever Family! They have been looking at pictures for months in preparation for the transition but it is now time to come home!
This month was the second annual gathering of WC China families at our main CAS office in Greensboro. Sabrina and I traveled to Greensboro to meet new families in the program and welcome home families with new additions since last year. It was a great time to make new friends and begin a network of support families. Several interested families also attended and we hope they will soon be a part of this quick moving program.
We are very fortunate to be able to bring most of our families home with their child in less than one year, which is a comfortable time frame in international adoption. The process has been smooth and families have been able to lock in their match in a reasonable amount of time.
If you are still undecided about which adoption program to commit to, please review the web site information and videos. You may call me anytime to discuss the program in further detail or ask as many questions as you would like. This program is open to new families who meet the China pre-requisites, including single women.
I look forward to hearing from you, Carol Galvin, China Program Coordinator, 757-478-3313.
July 2011
Our photo listing efforts proved to be very successful. All of the initial children found their forever family somewhere within the U.S. We will be updating our web site with a few new children after the holiday. Don’t forget to take a look because it is possible that your child’s picture is there! We can let you know if a particular child is still waiting for their loving home and provide you with additional information.
We always try to respond to your inquiries the same day but with the increased number of interested families, the day can get busy. Please call or email again if you do not hear from someone very soon after your initial contact. We look forward to talking to each of you! And remember, we welcome your questions. Make sure you watch the wonderful recorded webinar about adopting a child from China. You hear from our facilitator, a home family, and myself (Carol, program coordinator).
July is the wettest month in China as well as being hot and humid. There are advantages to the summer weather in other popular spots. The summer months are the perfect time to tour Tibet as the weather is the mildest and most of the festivals take place in July and August. If you like the heat and the sun, then Hainan is where you want to be, on the white sand beaches of the island. There is always a way to beat the heat and take in a new culture.
Looking forward to sharing more about adopting a child from China with you!
Carol Galvin.
June 2011
We are excited to be advocating for some of the many waiting children by featuring a photo listing of several children on our web site. These children are part of the shared list with all agencies. Many of them are matched very quickly, but be sure to take a look. Perhaps your child’s picture is there! We can let you know if the child is still waiting for their loving home and provide you with additional information.
June is Dragon Boat Festival time in China – Duanwu Jie. This is a very old, traditional festival of great importance for the Chinese people. Many people equate the festival with eating zongzi, considered by many to be the most symbolic custom in China for the Dragon Boat Festival. Made of glutinous rice or sticky rice, zongzi is stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves in the shape of a triangle. You can easily find a recipe on-line if you are curious.
Of course the dragon boat races are the main event! One theory behind the origin of dragon boat racing is that it began as a way of paying homage to the God of Water so that the farmers would have good crops. There are cities within the U.S. that host Dragon Boat races, so check out your local community calendar. You might be lucky enough to experience this wonderful family event!
Our program is growing and we had several new applicants this past month. We also have several families close to travel and others who returned home. You could be a part of this fast moving program too.
Please let me know if you have any questions, Carol Galvin, program coordinator.
May 2011
We are very excited and pleased to announce that the CCCWA has approved CAS for its own WC China program, beginning May 1, 2011! We will continue to work with the wonderful facilitator with whom we have been working, Sabrina, and we have experienced staff in place in China already. Now that we have our own program, we may assist any qualified family, from any of the fifty States, not just those states where we are a licensed agency.
If you were unable to join us for the webinar on April 28, it is available on our web site for your convenience. We had a wonderful turn out in registration for that evening.
Culturally speaking, this month China celebrates International Labor Day on the 1st of May. In China workers get leave for seven days around the first week of May to celebrate this holiday. This seven day leave is called
May Day Holiday in China. May Day Holiday is considered one of the three Golden weeks of China. During these long holidays the Chinese travel with their families.
Please remember there are over 1500 children still looking for their Forever Family. Are you one of them? It is a great time to adopt from China!
Please feel free to contact me directly by phone (757 478 3313) or email to discuss the WC China program in greater detail.
April 2011
The past few weeks have been filled with news coming from China regarding adoption changes. First, the CCAA or China Center of Adoption Affairs changed its name to the CCCWA or China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption.
Single women may adopt from China!! That was the biggest announcement and wonderful news for all the waiting single mothers. Single women may adopt through the WC China program, adopting a Special Focus child, effective March 15, 2011. Some of the pre-requirements differ for singles, so please refer to our WC China program information on the agency web site or contact me directly for the details. We hope this news helps us find more families for our waiting children. We have been very busy with inquiries about this great opportunity.
The latest announcement from the CCCWA refers to additional information required for adoption home studies completed after October 1, 2011 and post adoption reports for families traveling after August 1, 2011. We will certainly let you know if this pertains to you.
Last, if you are undecided about what country to chose for your adoption or desire more information about the WC China program, there will be a webinar on Thursday, April 28, hosted by our facilitator, Sabrina, a home family, and me. We hope you will join us to learn more as well as take the opportunity to ask questions. Register Today.
Please feel free to contact me directly by phone (757 478 3313) or email to discuss the WC China program in greater detail. Thank you! Carol Galvin, LCSW, WC China Program Coordinator
March 2011
This month in China there are two minor holidays which are celebrated. The first is Women’s Day. Celebrated since 1975, this year Women’s Day falls on March 8th. It is a festival remembering women’s struggles worldwide. In China, the Chinese government designates it as a national holiday for women who are rewarded with a half day holiday from work. Chinese children respect their mother by doing housework and husbands prepare dinner and give presents and flowers to their wives.
The other holiday is Arbor Day. This year Arbor Day falls on March 12th. The holiday is a remembrance of Dr. Sun Yat Sen who emphasized the construction of the forest industry. As in most countries with an Arbor Day, Chinese citizens actively plant trees as their legal obligation.
Still undecided from which country to adopt? In addition to the information available on the agency web site, I am happy to schedule a telephone conference with you to answer your questions and explain the program in even more detail. There are both girls and boys of all ages waiting for their Forever Family. I welcome the opportunity to share more with you. You may contact me, Carol Galvin, at 757.478.3313.
February 2011
It is officially the Year of the Rabbit in China. Hopefully many of you were able to experience a Chinese New Year’s celebration. It is a fabulous time to become acquainted with the rich culture of this country. There are numerous books available as well which are age appropriate to share with children; Jin Jin The Dragon by Grace Chang, Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn and The Dancing Dragon by Marcia K. Vaughan are but a few. You may have your own favorites.
Previously I have mentioned that a Special Needs child in China may have a very mild medical condition that is not even considered “special needs” in our country. I continue to urge any interested family to take the time to learn about the children available through this program before making a decision about applying to this program. There are many children with very mild conditions and certainly correctable.
As many of you know, CAS/ABC had maintained a photo listing of several WC China children from the Special Focus group. We are so pleased that we were able to match one of the children but the other children’s files have been returned to the CCAA. We are hopeful that another agency will have the perfect family for each of them. If we receive new photo listings we will post them as soon as possible so that everyone may consider these waiting children. Otherwise, the program continues to operate at a steady, reasonable pace with new families applying monthly and matches being approved on a regular basis.
As always, please contact me, Carol Galvin, CWC program coordinator, with any questions you may have.
GUNG HEI FAT CHOY!!
January 2011
Happy New Year to everyone! And what a wonderful year it is for our three new families who returned over the holiday weekend with their newly adopted child. These families experienced Christmas in China and returned home just in time to ring in 2011. Congratulations to all!
Speaking of the New Year, the Chinese New Year is fast approaching; February 3, 2011. This is a major holiday and one not to be missed. For our current year it is the Year of the Rabbit. Watch your community calendar for upcoming events and celebrations that you may share. As I have mentioned previously, your local Families with Children from China (FCC) group will have a celebration that shouldn’t be missed.
A typical celebration includes crafts, such as making red lanterns and the famous dragon dance. “Feeding” the dragon red envelopes of money brings good fortune for the upcoming year. I encourage you to learn more about this wonderful holiday.
For those of you interested in our photo list of waiting children, remember that the password changes monthly. You may call or email me for the current password so that you can learn about these terrific kids.
As always, please contact me, Carol Galvin, with any questions you may have. The program continues to grow as does the number of waiting children. Until next month,
GUNG HEI FAT CHOY!!
December 2010
We are in the midst of the holiday season and with that comes the natural curiosity about how different countries celebrate Christmas. In China only a very small percentage of the population is Christian so Christmas is not considered an important religious or public holiday. Families who do celebrate Christmas, or Sheng Dan Jieh/Holy Birth Festival, decorate their homes with paper lanterns and lights. Red is a popular color, of course. The children receive small gifts and their stockings are usually made of muslin. The spirit of the holiday is present, especially in the large cities because of tourism. The Chinese people want their guests to feel welcome and they honor the holiday for them.
An update on our agency list of WC China children……..Yvonne has a new family! We are thrilled and excited for all of them! Congratulations! We welcomed home another family with their daughter and later this week, joyfully send off a waiting family to receive their daughter. We have several families waiting on Travel Authority (TA), knowing they will travel to China soon after receiving that all important document.
Our webinar last month was very successful and brought a lot of new family interest in the program. China has so many waiting children!
As always, please contact me, Carol, with any questions you may have. The program continues to grow and there are many, many waiting children.
November 2010
November is National Adoption Awareness Month. This is an appropriate time to make each of you aware of a fabulous resource for families adopting from China. Many of your local communities have an adoption support group, Families with Children from China or FCC. The FCC is a national, non-profit organization operated by adoptive parents for China adoptive families. They typically have fabulous events all year long. Some of these groups plan events to acknowledge the significance of November in the adoption community. Another option is for you to initiate an event that brings awareness to the world of adoption in your local library, church community or neighborhood school. Family celebrations are also appropriate.
ABC/CAS recently received the photo listings of six children in the Special Focus group who are waiting for their adoptive home. If you have not already looked at their sweet faces, please call for the password so that you can see them. The password will change each month. Maybe the child you have been hoping for is among them.
Our next Waiting Child China webinar is set for the evening of November 11, 2010. This is a great way to learn more about the program and ask questions of our facilitator or me on that evening. Registration has already begun. We hope you too will join us. If you are already a part of the program but you know of a friend considering adoption, please pass the word along. Register today!
As always, please contact me, Carol Galvin, with any questions you may have. The program continues to grow and there are many, many waiting children.
October 2010
Now that the Moon Festival is over, the next Chinese holiday is National Day, October 1. It is the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Celebrations usually include parties in amusement parks during the day and fireworks at night. Employees enjoy two paid days-off. One suggested reading about this and other holidays is, “Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes” by Nina Simonds and Leslie Swartz. It is a wonderful resource book to have in your child’s library.
On September 1, China launched a new adoption program, Special Focus, in hopes of finding permanent homes for the children who have been waiting for a family over 60 days. Not all of these children have serious special needs. Their biggest need is the need of a loving family! One advantage to this program is that a family may be matched with a child before completing their dossier and then have six months to review the referral information, consult with the medical experts, etc. This additional time will enable families to be better prepared for parenting. We will also be photo listing several of the Special Focus children, later this month. Be sure to check back soon for their wonderful pictures!
Our next family to travel departs in just a few days to pick up their little girl and it is just under one year since they first applied. And there is another family on their heels traveling as well in under one year from date of application. I mention this to illustrate the continued quick pace of the WC China program. One of the common questions from inquiring families is the length of the wait time from dossier completion to travel. The wait time can be an exercise in patience, which is good practice for parenting…….patience. We will support you during that period and offer some suggestions for activities to keep you busy so you are well prepared for your family addition.
We will be posting a notice very soon for the next WC China program webinar. Please consider joining us to learn more about the program and ask questions of our facilitator or myself on that evening. If you are already a part of the program and you know of a friend considering adoption, please pass the word along. Contact Carol for more information about China Waiting Child.
September 2010
We would like to welcome all of the new families who have recently joined the WC program! We are all confident that there is a special child just waiting for each of you!
One of the most enjoyable facets of international adoption is learning about another culture and embracing a piece of your child’s birth culture as your own. For the Chinese people, the fall season marks one of their most important holidays. The Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival is traditionally celebrated in late September when the moon is supposedly at its fullest and roundest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties. Celebrated in Asia for more than 1,000 years, the Moon Festival marks a time to reflect upon the bounty of the summer harvest and the fullness of the moon. The Moon Festival has been likened to a sort of “Chinese Thanksgiving”. Each of us has so much to be thankful for. How wonderful it would be if your family could share your “bounty” with a child who does not have as much. That would make a wonderful celebration for everyone.
If you are undecided on which program to commit to, please consider one of the many Waiting Children in China to join your family! If you have any questions about this program, just email or call, 757.478.3313, and Carol will be happy to answer your questions and share more information about this quick paced program.
August 2010
We are very excited to have one of our WC family currently in China to receive their little girl and bring her home! This family began the program in November 2009 so it really is possible to bring your son or daughter home within a year. The number of waiting children has now surpassed 2000. There are more and more children entering the program every month. We hope that more and more prospective families will also enter the program. One of those families could be YOU. We have also seen matches during the month of July, which is exciting as well.
Several waiting families had the opportunity to meet with our WC facilitator in early August at the CAS office in Greensboro. Staff and families both delighted in an informal evening gathering of conversation, sharing of adoption stories and connecting with other WC families. It was a delight to meet all of the families who traveled from other areas.
Please call if you have further interest or any questions. We welcome the opportunity to talk with you further!
July 2010
During the month of July, China celebrates its version of Valentine’s Day; July 31. On this day Chinese people go to the matchmaker temple and pray for their love. Unlike the Valentine’s Day celebration that we know, there is little emphasis on giving chocolates, flowers and kisses. Instead, Chinese girls prepare fruits, melons and incense as offerings to Zhi Nu, the weaving maiden, praying to acquire high skills in needlecraft, as well as hoping to find satisfactory husbands.
We at CAS/ABC are hoping to find love this month too, in the form of loving families for the nearly 2000 children in need of homes. Although more and more families enter the WC program nationwide, there will always be more children looking for a home than there are waiting, approved homes. The WC program continues to be one of the quickest international programs from application to travel/placement.
As always, please contact Carol Galvin with any questions you may have.
June 2010
The China Waiting Child Program popularity is steadily growing and as in any growing program, there are not just more new families but many more waiting children. There are over 1500 children looking for families!
Sometimes when a parent hears “special needs” it causes them to take pause and they often think of various serious conditions. That is not necessarily the case with the China WC program. In China, “special needs” can be something minor and correctable, such as a cleft lip or cleft palate. It may mean a child with a lazy eye (amblyopia) that needs special opthamalic medical care but has a very good prognosis. If you are undecided about a country for your adoption, I encourage you to learn more about what “special needs” truly means.
A special thanks to all of you who signed up and participated in last month’s webinar. We always enjoy sharing our program information with prospective adoptive families. If you missed this webinar you may watch it on our website.
As always, please contact Carol Galvin with any questions you may have.
May 2010
The China Waiting Child Program is becoming more and more popular, not just with our own adoptive families but across the U.S. The overall number of placements continues to increase. This is due in part to the good quality of care the children receive while waiting for an adoptive family. Also, both girls and boys are available for adoption. In fact, in this program there are more boys waiting for placement as opposed to the traditional adoption program that places predominantly girls. Families adopting special needs children from China appreciate the overall quick pace of the program and traveling to China only one time with just a fourteen day stay in-country. Most families choose to sightsee a few days prior to receiving their child. China has a rich culture with beautiful sites to enjoy.
Perhaps we can peak your interest by learning more during our upcoming webinar. Consider participating in the WC webinar on Thursday, May 13 to learn more about this wonderful program and ask your own questions. Register today.
As always, please contact Carol Galvin with any questions you may have.
April 2010
We are very excited that another family is in China, receiving their daughter through the WC program. Several more families have been pre-approved with a match, pending their dossier review. There are nearly 1,600 children available through this program and each of them needs a loving home. Although China has recently changed the matching process, the program is still relatively fast and there are many children available with mild, special needs. The change in the matching process means that China will no longer permit a family to be pre-approved for a specific child prior to the completion of their dossier. If the child is on the waiting list over thirty days, an exception may be made. That typically refers to a child with a more serious condition.
April in China marks the annual celebration of the Qingming Festival. Qingming, meaning clear and bright, is the day for mourning the dead. However, Qingming is not just a day of remembrance; it is also a day to celebrate the coming of spring, often by going out for a picnic. It falls in early April every year. It corresponds with the onset of warmer weather, the start of spring plowing, and of family outings.
Kite flying is very popular in China. It is said that the kite was invented by the Chinese nearly 3,000 years ago. Consider your own family outing to fly a kite as the warmer, spring weather comes to your area. You can learn more about Chinese festivals and the origin/history of kites on various web sites and in many cultural books. Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats by Meilo So is just one children’s book suggestion.
March 2010
China Waiting Child continues to be an excellent option for families, especially for those who would like to have their child home in about a year. In the beginning of March, China announced some changes to the program which will help families move forward with their adoptions.
China has recently ended the use of the Waiting Child two list system; agency individual lists and the shared list. Effective immediately, there is only the shared list for all agencies with a Waiting Child program to utilize. Families who initially apply to the Waiting Child program will have the ability to be matched with any of the hundreds of waiting children after they complete their homestudy and their dossier is submitted. For a family currently in a NSN program with another agency, it is still possible to transfer to the WC program. please contact Carol Galvin, program coordinator, for more details.
February 2010
The Chinese New Year is almost here! February 14th marks the official start of the Year of the Tiger. This is a great time to seek out a cultural event in your community and learn more about the traditions of this celebration. You may join a local support group, such as Families with Children from China (FCC) or gather with other adoptive families for a traditional Chinese meal at a local restaurant. Maybe this is the time to purchase a children’s book about the Chinese New Year to share with your child later in life. Some of the books even have simple recipes to try on a cold, winter day at home!
The WC program has received several tentative matches this past month. This program has the potential of moving rather quickly and there are more children added to the shared list every month. There are approximately 900 children looking for homes currently. Due to the potentially quick matching process, we are only photo listing the children on our agency individual list, which enables us to keep our information current.
Also, for any NSN family who is considering a transfer to the WC program, our facilitator has another option that you may want to consider that will enable you to consider children on the shared list sooner. If you are interested, please email or call me and I will be happy to share details with you.
As always, please contact Carol Galvin with any questions you may have.
January 2010
Happy 2010 to everyone!
Over the recent holidays, the CCAA announced programmatic changes to their Waiting Child program that should prove advantageous for prospective families hoping to be matched with a “special needs” child.
The CCAA is now announcing when new Waiting Child referrals will be available. Our facilitator will be able to review new referrals in a more predictable way and thus potentially match families sooner. The CCAA also will permit a pre-approved, matched family to apply for an extension if their dossier is not completed within 90 days of their pre-approval. In light of these developments and knowing that the program continues to gain in popularity nationwide, with more and more families applying or transferring to the program, our facilitator will begin the matching process for our waiting families during the homestudy phase and no longer wait for the homestudy to be complete. It will be possible for matches to occur earlier in the adoption process.
There are still several children pictured on the agency individual list hoping for a forever family. Perhaps one of those children is meant to join your family. Be sure to look at their information. If you do not have access to this list or with any questions you may have, contact Carol Galvin, CWC program coordinator.
December 2009
The Waiting Child webinar in November had many participants. If you were unable to join us at that time, go to the China WC portion of the agency web site. Part of the webinar is available there for viewing.
We are very excited to announce that one of the children on the agency individual list was recently preapproved with a family for adoption! The news brought extra blessings for the adoptive family this holiday season. If the paperwork flows smoothly, they may be able to travel in about eight months.
There continues to be a terrific response to this new program offering. So many children still need a forever home and you might be the family for one of them. Remember, the “special need” of many waiting children is very minor, so please consider looking at some of these beautiful children. They all need a loving home and you might be the perfect family for one of them.
As always, please contact Carol Galvin with any questions you may have. Have a Happy Holiday season!
November 2009
Through our subsidiary agency, ABC Adoptions, Inc., out of Virginia, we are pleased to now be able to offer a Waiting China Children Program. There will be a Waiting Child webinar on Thurs. evening, November 19 at 8 pm (EST). This is another opportunity for you to learn more about the program and direct questions to the program coordinator and the program facilitator. Both of these professionals will be hosting the webinar.
The response to this new program continues to grow. We have four more families who entered the program and continual daily inquiries from others. If you have not checked out our web site recently, be sure to do so. There are four more beautiful children who were assigned to our partnering agency individual list by the CCAA. They all need a home and you might be the family for one of them. More children were added to the general, shared list of Waiting Children as well. The need for more loving homes continues to grow.
Again, check out the web site and mark your calendar. For those interested in this program, please contact Carol and she can direct you.
October 2009
We have had a wonderful response to the announcement of this new program! We encourage all interested families to call and ask questions. There are many waiting children with very minor “special needs” and this program moves rather fast. It is possible to have your child home with you in one year!
Our first family has been home for about six weeks and they are doing very well. And our next family is awaiting final approval from the CCAA and then their travel permission. We would like to have more families become a part of the WC program because there are many more children. If your LID is still many months away, it is possible to transfer to the WC program and complete your adoption much sooner, although some additional fees apply.
Families in this program have the advantage of personalized attention from the program facilitator. She works closely with each family to identify the child that is the best match for that family. You are able to receive updates with pictures while you wait to travel.
Read the most recent news about our China Waiting Child adoption program (click here to read).