CHILDREN AVAILABLE: Healthy children are available for families willing to wait more than five years for a referral. Girls and boys, from infancy to school age, with medical issues including heart defect, cleft lip/palate, limb deformity, hepatitis B, cerebral palsy, or hearing impairment are available through the Special Needs program. Some conditions may have already been surgically corrected. Comprehensive medical and developmental information provided as well as photos.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: Only one parent must travel to China to finalize the adoption but both parents traveling is preferred. Families will be assisted by bilingual coordinator during their two week trip. Internal travel logistics including hotels, domestic flights and ground transportation will be arranged by our China coordinator.

LENGTH OF PROCESS: The length of wait for a referral of a young child without significant health issues now exceeds 5 years. The processing of special needs adoptions is substantially expedited and can often be completed within 6 - 8 months. Once a family has accepted a special needs referral and submits an adoption dossier to Beijing, they travel to China to bring the child home in about five to six months. Families must be prepared to make a very quick decision on a child referral.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Adoptive parents must be at least 30 and not more than 55 years of age and must be married at least 2 years (longer if previously divorced). Applicants with significant health or mental health diagnoses will be ineligible, including those substantially overweight. Single woman are eligible to adopt special needs children.

Donation # 8011

Donation # 26384