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Q: May I pursue both programs at the same time?
A: Absolutely. Families can accept a Waiting Child at
any time before they apply, while they are working on their dossier, or after the
dossier has gone to China . Once you accept a specific Waiting Child, your dossier
is formally transferred to the Waiting Child Program. Until that time, you and your
dossier follow the traditional program’s process. If your family does not
connect with a Waiting Child, your dossier will still be matched in the traditional
program.
Q: May I view CCAI’s full list of children?
A: We do not place our entire list of children on our
website. Most of the children whose information we receive in the Waiting Child
Program will be placed directly with families who have submitted a Medical Conditions
Checklist and Waiting Child Family Information Sheet to CCAI. Only those children
whose information did not directly match a family’s request are listed on
the website, so these children may not be a typical representation of the children
in the Waiting Child Program. In many cases, these children may be older, male,
or have more significant special needs. To access profiles of these children, look for a link to the left of this page called “Child
Profiles.”
Q: How often does CCAI receive lists of children?
A: As the ultimate authority in China adoption, the China Center of
Adoption Affairs (CCAA) in Beijing is responsible for assembling and mailing information
profiles on Waiting Children. The CCAA provides these lists to CCAI as it sees appropriate,
and CCAI has no control over the timing of these lists. We have received lists of
children both months and weeks apart, both large lists and small.
Q: Does CCAI often receive young children in the Waiting Child Program?
A: Although CCAI has received information on children
as young as eight months, it is rare that we receive information on children under
one year of age. It takes time to gather information on a child’s medical
condition, so these children may be reported to the CCAA later than children with
no known medical conditions.
Q: Does CCAI recommend certain doctors to review children’s information?
A: We believe it is most beneficial for you to have a
child’s information reviewed by a doctor in your area, who may possibly treat
this child when you return home. Your own physician, pediatrician, or children’s
hospital may be able to provide you with excellent specialist referrals if needed.
Q: If I adopt through the Waiting Child Program, how much faster is the timeline?
A: Once you have submitted your dossier to China and accepted
a specific Waiting Child, you will travel to China in about three to five months.
Most families wait on average about eight to ten months to be matched with a Waiting
Child, but the timeline depends on what each individual
family is open to, and which children’s information CCAI receives. Generally,
families who are open to younger children with more minor conditions can expect
to wait longer than families who are open to a wider range of ages or medical conditions.
While it is true that the Waiting Child program has a shorter timeline, this program
is designed for families who are truly prepared to parent a child with a special
need – and a shorter timeline is not the appropriate reason to consider the
Waiting Child Program. Although accepting a Waiting Child will mean that you will
hold your child’s hand sooner than if you were matched in the traditional
program, it may also mean dealing with this child’s special need for the rest
of your life. Please keep this in mind as you determine whether or not this program
may be right for your family.
Q: If I don’t travel with a group of families, will I be alone in China
?
A: Certainly not. While our first choice is to place a
Waiting Child family with an existing travel group, if a group is not available,
we will create an adoption trip for your individual family. Like a travel group,
you will always be with a local CCAI representative to serve you through the adoption
process in China .
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