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Q: How do I get started in the Waiting Child Program?
A: The very first step is to complete and submit a Medical Conditions Checklist ( MCC ). If you aren’t currently in process with CCAI, make sure to include your Family Information Sheet.
Q: If I adopt through the Waiting Child Program, how much faster is the timeline?
A: The average timeline in the Waiting Child Program is about 12 months, but this timeline will vary tremendously based on a family’s openness to age, gender, and special needs. 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. 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.
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. Although important and attractive, a shorter timeline should not be the primary motivation to consider the Waiting Child Program. Accepting a Waiting Child may mean that you will hold your child’s hand sooner than if you were matched in the traditional program, but it may also mean managing 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: May I pursue both programs at the same time?
A: Until you accept a particular Waiting Child, your process will actually follow the path of the traditional adoption program. That means you can have an MCC on file at the same time as you compile your dossier and even as it waits its turn in the CCAA’s process. Having an MCC on file with CCAI does not affect your dossier in China . If you accept a Waiting Child, your dossier will at that time switch to the Waiting Child Program. If you do not accept a Waiting Child, your dossier will still be matched by the CCAA in the traditional adoption program. (Your dossier may not be used to adopt a child from both programs at the same time.)
Q: Does CCAI use the “Shared List” or an agency-specific list of Waiting Children?
A: CCAI focuses on a designated, agency-specific list of Waiting Children assigned to us by the CCAA. While this method eliminates chaotic “competition” with other agencies to place children, more importantly, it allows prospective families the time they need to review and consider a child’s file, rather than rushing to make a quick decision. CCAI does have limited access to the “Shared List” of Waiting Children and may match families from this list on rare occasion.
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 application or Family Information Sheet) to CCAI . Only those children whose information does 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, go to www.chinesechildren.org and click on “Waiting Child Program.” Then look for a link on the left-hand side called “Child Profiles.” The password is xiwang.
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 might actually treat the child you are considering. Your own physician, pediatrician, or Children’s Hospital may be able to provide you with excellent specialist referrals if needed.
Q:What happens if we can’t accept a child referral that is presented to us?
A: CCAI will only contact you directly about a child who matches what you’ve indicated on your MCC , so we encourage families to do thorough research about these conditions. If, however, you feel you cannot accept a child presented to you, please discuss your decision with CCAI and consider whether you need to make changes to your MCC (and whether those changes would still allow for a potential successful match). Refusing a child match will not result in your MCC moving to the “back of the line,” and CCAI will continue to attempt to match you with a Waiting Child.
Q: If I don’t travel with a group of families, will I be alone in China ?
A: Absolutely 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. L ike a traditional travel group, you will always be with a local CCAI representative to serve you through the adoption process in China.
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