SIX New Kids On The Block!
We have six new children listed on our photolisting! Please see a short bio for each below.
 |
Hannah is a precious 4 year old girl who was born with Marfan’s syndrome. She is very active, outgoing, and friendly. She is self-independent and loves to read! She is a fast learner and has been described as a curious and smart little girl! |
 |
Landon is an adorable 2 year old boy who was born with a clubbed foot, which he received surgery for, and spastic hemiplegia that effects the muscles on the left side of his body. He is involved in daily rehabilitation training. Landon is an introverted little boy who loves to play with all sorts of toys! |
 |
Charlie is an adorable 8 year old boy who was born with a language disorder, but he has made great strides in his progress. He can now express his needs, cite poems, and sing! Charlie is self-independent and has been described as a handsome, outgoing, and active boy! |
 |
Tommy is an adorable 5 year old boy who was born with epilepsy. He is a self-independent boy that can express his needs, have simple conversations with others, and understand simple instructions. Tommy loves to watch cartoons and his favorite toys are trains! |
 |
Megan is a precious 2 year old girl who was born with a strabismus in her left eye and a need related to her brain. Megan is more of an introverted little girl who is closest to her caregivers. They’ll put a towel over their head and Megan will pull it down and they’ll laugh loudly together! |
 |
Isaac is an adorable little boy who just turned 4. He was born with was born with a cleft lip, palate, and an arachnoid cyst. Isaac has been described as an active and clever little boy! He is closest to his caregivers and loves to cuddle. |
To learn more about any of the children above, you can request a file today!
Please note you may request a file of a child even if you have not begun the adoption process, so please contact us to learn more.
Resources
• Visit the China Waiting Child photo listing
• Contact a China adoption specialist
• Learn more about China adoption
Adoption Tax Credit
What is the adoption tax credit?
The Adoption Tax Credit, which can be claimed for eligible adoption-related expenses, has helped thousands of American families offset the cost of adoption since the credit was established in 1997. It has made adoption a financially viable option for many parents who might not otherwise have been able to afford it, allowing them to provide children with loving, permanent families. With over 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system currently eligible for adoption, and an ever increasing number of orphaned and abandoned children worldwide in institutions, the continuation of the Adoption Tax Credit is vital to providing love, safety, and permanency through adoption to as many children as possible.
For many families, the cost associated with adopting a child or sibling group can be very discouraging. Even for families with the best of intentions and the purest of hearts, a lack of finances can mean the difference between providing an orphan with a loving home and turning a reluctant cheek to the overwhelming need. The Adoption Tax Credit has done so much to bridge this gap, and for that we are forever grateful!
Why do we need your help to save it?
With tax reform up for discussion once more, the Adoption Tax Credit is at risk of being eliminated. We are asking both past and current adoptive families to share their voices to tell Congress about the importance of this tax credit and the difference that it has made in helping them bring their family together. By making adoption more affordable, this tax credit has literally changed the lives of countless orphans around the world, and this is simply not something that we can risk losing.
How you can help!
If your family has benefited from the Adoption Tax Credit, we need your help! Here are a couple of simple ways that you can share your voice to help this cause:
- Send a Letter to Members of Congress
Use this link to send your thank you letter to Members of Congress to support the Adoption Tax Credit: https://secure2.convio.net/res/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=709
- Tweet Your Support!
Tag your Member of congress and use the following hashtags: #SavetheATC #taxreform!
Example: For me and thousands of families, the adoption tax credit made adoption possible. Watch my story here [LINK] #SavetheATC #taxreform
- Share a Facebook Post
Link to a family blog post or photo and tell your story! Again, you can use the hashtags #SavetheATC and #taxreform.
Read More
Post-Adoption Report Day!
POSTED MAY 10, 2017 BY NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION
The Office of Children’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State has declared May 15th Post-Adoption Report Day. It’s an opportunity to highlight the importance that parents who have adopted through intercountry adoption keep their promises and submit post-adoption reports as they committed to during the adoption process.
Here are 3 simple reasons NCFA believes Post-Adoption Reporting matters!
– You promised!
As a part of the adoption process, you were entrusted with the care of your child and promised to share about their future experiences. While it is easy to forget about extra paperwork in the important work of caring for your children, we think keeping your promise to report back on the wellbeing of your child is critically important.
– It’s a great opportunity for reflection.
Post-adoption reports are a good time to do some reflection and assessment. Consider your reporting dates an opportunity, not an obligation. You can review and celebrate progress and milestones. Take a moment to consider what types of support might help your child (and you!) to grow and thrive. And consider what your goals are for your child and your family between now and the next reporting date. It’s also a terrific time to touch base with your adoption agency or other adoption professionals if you need any support. For some countries, you’re required to connect with your agency at this time anyway. It’s a natural and convenient time to touch base about any questions, concerns, or supports your family might find valuable.
– You’re helping to support future adoptions.
Post-adoption reports are one of the ways countries assess whether children are healthy, safe, and loved as a result of intercountry adoption. This information can be critical to deciding whether future children will have the option to join families through intercountry adoption or might otherwise languish in institutions or other impermanent situations.
So, what exactly is a post-adoption report? While the number and timing of reports required varies, generally the report’s goal is to discuss the child’s development and adjustment to a new family, home, and country. It’s important to pay special attention to the specific requirements in the country a child is adopted from. The type of information, how it should be assessed (through an agency or by parents themselves), and how it should be submitted can vary widely from country to country. Below, we’ve listed some basic information on several countries reporting requirements. If you have specific questions about what your reporting requirements are, we encourage you to reach out to your adoption service provider to learn more. Department of State also provides country specific information and can be contacted if you need more information.
Post-Adoption Report Requirements
We aren’t listing in detail all the country requirements, but wanted to give examples of some common countries of origin and their general guidelines, we’ve also linked through to more specific information at Department of State for each country. Of course, the best way to get information on what is required for your adoption is always to contact your adoption service provider and confirm what was required by the country at the time of your adoption and any other requirements the agency might have that you agreed to during the adoption process.
Bulgaria: 4 reports required. One every six months after adoption for first two years.
China: 6 reports required. Six months after adoption and at 1,2,3,4, and 5 years after adoption. First 3 reports must be prepared by the social workers who prepared the homestudy. Families may write last three reports themselves.
Haiti: 7 post-adoption reports are typically required. The first 4 must be completed with the adoption service provider at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after adoption. The last 3 reports at moths 36, 48, and 60 may be submitted directly to IBESR by adoptive parents.
To find the requirements for the country you’re working with, you can search here or contact our adoption specialists today!
Read More
Forever Family Found
Hooray! This #ForeverFamilyFriday we’re DELIGHTED to announce that a family has begun submitting their paperwork to bring this sweet girl home forever!
GWCA received this beautiful little girl’s file from one of our Orphanage Partnerships and were able to find a family that was ready to move forward with her right away. We are so happy that she is now one step closer to her Forever Family, and we are eager to continue following her journey home. Congratulations to her and her new family from all of us at GWCA and CAN!
China Waiting Child Adoption
Our China adoption program allows families to be matched with Special Focus children at any point in the process, making the adoption journey as a whole relatively quick! We receive new children’s files each week, both from our orphanage partnerships and from the Shared List, which provides our families with the opportunity to review multiple files until they find a child that they feel would be a good fit. Contact our China matching specialists or visit our photo listing to learn more about the kids that we’re currently advocating for!
Resources:
– Contact GWCA’s Adoption Specialists
– Learn more about GWCA’s Orphanage Partnerships
– Visit GWCA’s Waiting Child Photo Listing
– Learn more about adopting from China
The Shift in China Adoption
There has been a shift in the world of China adoption, and it is impacting both new adoptive families and families that are already in process with all agencies throughout the China adoption community.
In recent months, several changes have taken place within the Chinese government, including the appointment of a new Prime Minister of Civil Affairs in the beginning of 2017. Although he is not directly involved with the China Center of Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA), part of his role is to oversee the adoption authority and international adoption as a whole.
Historically, CCCWA has been flexible in regards to many adoptive families’ eligibility concerns, however, with these recent changes they have started enforcing the already existing eligibility requirements. The eligibility requirements have not been changed in any way. Families that fall within the eligibility requirements should not be concerned about their adoption process. New families beginning the process must meet every aspect of eligibility in order to be considered for the program. Our International Adoption Counselors are happy to speak with all inquiring families to review eligibility.
Because of the changes within the Chinese government, Orphan Hosting is still waiting to be approved. We hope to be able to facilitate a session before the end of 2017, but it will be at the discretion of the Chinese government as to whether or not the Hosting program can continue. Moving forward, it is our agency’s role to try to provide as much education as possible about the many benefits of the Hosting program. GWCA will be providing updates to families as they are received!
If you are considering beginning your China adoption journey, don’t let this shift deter you from reaching out to our adoption specialists. China adoption has earned it’s reputation as one of the most dependable programs over the course of many years, and that aspect of the program certainly hasn’t changed. Our adoption specialists are here to help you fully understand China’s current eligibility requirements so that you can evaluate your family’s situation and determine whether this is the program for you. Please consult with your GWCA caseworker or reach out to our main line at 512-323-9595 if you would like to learn more about eligibility for the China program!
China Adoption Resources:
– Contact an Adoption Specialist
– Review China’s Current Eligibility Requirements
– Learn more about China Adoption
– Visit GWCA’s China Waiting Child Photo Listing
China Eligibility
Families that adopt from our China program must meet certain requirements per the country in order to adopt from China. In the past we have seen China have some flexibility based on a child’s needs and have looked case by case to make some exceptions. Recently we have seen a decrease in those exceptions.
We understand that there have been some changes in governing bodies in China that have attributed to this. Oversight outside of the CCCWA has changed and we expect the CCCWA to be following in accordance to their eligibility rules for now.
We encourage families with eligibility concerns to continue inquiring. GWCA will review concerns on a case by case basis as our ultimate goal is to find the best fit for both the child and the family.
Resources:
- Contact GWCA’s matching specialists
- Learn more about China’s eligibility requirements
- Visit the Waiting Child photo listing
New Orphanage Partnership
We are delighted to announce that we have just signed another new orphanage partnership with Xining city!
While our staff members have previously met with several of the children at this orphanage, our in-country China adoption specialists are so excited to visit this orphanage again so that they can meet and interview the rest of the children that we will be advocating for!
We are so grateful to the CCCWA and our new orphanage partnership for giving us the opportunity to advocate for their children, and we are hopeful that each of them will find a loving forever family soon.
If your family is interested in learning more about the kiddos from our Orphanage Partnerships, contact our matching specialists today!
What is an Orphanage Partnership?
GWCA’s Orphanage Partnerships work directly with our agency to prepare children’s files so that we can place them with loving Forever Families as quickly as possible! Once a child’s file has been prepared by one of our partner orphanages, it is given directly to our agency rather than being placed on China’s Shared List. This means that our families have the opportunity to be among the first to see these children’s files when considering if they would be a good fit for their family. If you’re interested in learning more about the kiddos from our orphanage partnerships, contact our China Matching Specialists, or visit our China Waiting Child Photo Listing today!
– Click here to visit our Waiting Child photo listing! –
Read More
New Orphanage Partnership
We are honored to announce that the CCCWA and Sichuan Civil Affairs have approved a new orphanage partnership between GWCA and Luzhou Orphanage! Our GWCA Orphan Care team recently had a chance to visit this orphanage, where they were able to meet with children and conduct an initial interview. The information that is gathered in these interviews is incredibly helpful to our China matching specialists, as it allows us to provide potential families with the most up-to-date information on their development and needs. Luzhou Orphanage is currently preparing these children’s files for international adoption so that our matching specialists can begin advocating for them.
What are orphanage partnerships?
With thousands of Waiting Children in China, agencies have begun to partner with specific orphanages. These partnerships allow adoption agencies to give back to Chinese orphanages by providing them with the resources to help prepare children’s files for international adoption, and improving programs within the orphanage, giving each orphan the opportunity to thrive. This also means the orphanage provides any new files that are prepared exclusively to their partner agencies rather than releasing them to China’s shared list. This gives each child a greater chance of being placed, as the agency begins advocating for their adoption immediately. Some orphanages partner with multiple agencies in order to best advocate for their waiting children. It is not uncommon that we will learn of certain children before their files become available. This allows and even greater chance for child advocacy.
Why are they important?
Orphanage partnerships are an important part of the China Waiting Child adoption process, as they benefit all parties that are involved. Not only do they contribute to the well being of each orphan within the institute, they help in the process of finding them a forever family by ensuring that their files are prepared and provided to an agency. This benefits the agency as they receive both files for Special Focus and Non Special Focus children. These files can then be reviewed by any families that are in process with the agency, as they have exclusive access to the file for a period of time. Partnership with an orphanage also allows for better and quicker updates, more photos, and more videos that aid in the placing of children with their forever families.
If you’re interested in learning more about the orphanages that GWCA is currently partnered with, visit our website or contact our matching specialists today!
- Learn more about GWCA’s Orphanage Partnerships
- Visit our China Waiting Child Photo Listing to learn about the kids from our orphanage partnerships!
GWCA Partners With Yue Yang Region
We are honored to announce that the CCCWA and Hunan Civil Affairs have approved a new partnership between GWCA and the Yue Yang region! There are a total of 9 orphanages in this region, and we are so incredibly excited to begin working with each of them. Our staff recently had the opportunity to visit these orphanages, where they were able to meet with of the kids that we will be advocating for, and conduct an initial interview. These children’s files should be available to us soon, and we are eager to help match them with loving Forever Families! Keep an eye out on our China Waiting Child photo listing, or contact us to learn how you can be matched with a child from one of our orphanage partnerships!
What are orphanage partnerships?
With thousands of Waiting Children in China, agencies have begun to partner with specific orphanages. These partnerships allow adoption agencies to give back to Chinese orphanages by providing them with the resources to help prepare children’s files for international adoption, and improving programs within the orphanage, giving each orphan the opportunity to thrive. This also means the orphanage provides any new files that are prepared exclusively to their partner agencies rather than releasing them to China’s shared list. This gives each child a greater chance of being placed, as the agency begins advocating for their adoption immediately. Some orphanages partner with multiple agencies in order to best advocate for their waiting children. It is not uncommon that we will learn of certain children before their files become available. This allows and even greater chance for child advocacy.
Why are orphanage partnerships important?
Orphanage partnerships are an important part of the China Waiting Child adoption process, as they benefit all parties that are involved. Not only do they contribute to the well being of each orphan within the institute, they help in the process of finding them a forever family by ensuring that their files are prepared and provided to an agency. This benefits the agency as they receive both files for Special Focus and Non Special Focus children. These files can then be reviewed by any families that are in process with the agency, as they have exclusive access to the file for a period of time. Partnership with an orphanage also allows for better and quicker updates, more photos, and more videos that aid in the placing of children with their forever families.
If you’re interested in learning more about the orphanages that GWCA is currently partnered with, contact our China matching specialists today!
7 New Kids Added This Week!
Tucker is a cute little guy that is 1 1/2 years old! Tucker has Down’s Syndrome and CHD. He lives with a foster family and has been thriving in their care. Tucker has some difficulty sitting up and standing on his own but his file indicates that he’s always trying to strengthen his abilities. We think that with the right family and rehabilitation plan, Tucker will be able to overcome these delays! His caretakers say that he loves being in crowded places so he can be observant. Tucker has good grasping ability and can play with toys on his own. His caretakers say that he loves watching television and frequently giggles at the TV! Contact Great Wall if you’d like to review Tucker’s file!
Miles is an adorable 4 year old boy who loves to laugh with his friends and caregivers! Miles was diagnosed at a young age with hydrocephalus, and had a shunt inserted into his head in June of 2013. The shunt helped to alleviate some of his symptoms, but unfortunately he began to develop excess fluid in his head once again and is now in need of further treatment. He is delayed in language, mobility, and cognition, but has made improvements during his time with his caregivers. His caregivers say that he gets along well with other kiddos, and that he loves to laugh! The describe him as a lovely child, and they are very hopeful that he will find his forever family soon. If you’d like to learn more about Miles, please reach out to Great Wall!
Click here to watch my NEW video!
Quinn is an adorable little girl from China that is 2 and a half years old. Quinn has Down’s Syndrome and is doing quite well. One of our GWCA staff members met Quinn when she visited China earlier this year and she would be happy to speak with any interested family about Quinn!
Quinn has been described by caregivers as clever, introverted, cute and energetic. Quinn lives in an imitation family on the orphanage grounds, which is like a foster family, so she is receiving more one-on-one attention than some other children. Quinn can use her hands to hold small objects, such as sticks, books, spoons, etc. Quinn can pass toys between both of her hands and can use hands to support herself. When Quinn is sitting up the child has good balance and can change her position freely. Quinn can crawl, she can stand up by herself and is learning to walk. Quinn likes to walk around using small chairs and stools to help her balance. Like many children with Down’s Syndrome, Quinn’s language abilities are delayed compared to other children her age without Down’s Syndrome. However, Quinn can say words like “ma ma,” “ba ba,” and she imitates what adults and children around her are saying. Quinn enjoys listening to music, looking at picture books and dancing. Quinn can color on paper and play with puzzles. Quinn is clearly a very curious little girl and always seems to want to figure out how things work.
You can contact the China Home Finding Team at Great Wall if you would like to learn more about adopting Quinn. We hope we are able to find Quinn her Forever Family soon!
Click Here to Watch My New Videos: Video #1! | Video #2! | Video #3!
Jack is a sweet 3-year old boy looking for his forever family! Jack’s official diagnosis is cerebral palsy, and it is unclear as to whether or not he has been diagnosed with a syndrome as well. Jack is able to walk with the assistance of his caregivers, and has good fine motor skills. His language is delayed, but he does imitate his caregiver’s language and expressions through his actions. He will even observe his family doing housework and will imitate their movements! He is very close with his foster grandmother and has formed excellent attachments with his caregivers. Jack makes his caregivers very happy, and they said that they love him very much. If you’d like to review Jack’s full file, please reach out to Great Wall!
Josiah was recently apart of GWCA’s JOY program. A family spent a week getting to know Josiah and these are some of the amazing things they have to say about him!
Mr. Josiah is the cool kid who just wants to please! He’s hilarious and has a killer sense of humor! Josiah is not only fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, but he is extremely good with the English language. Often times on our journey we were grateful we had Josiah as he was able to translate for us in a pinch! He REALLY is hoping to find a family, soon! Josiah is an all-around HAPPY dude. He has great friends, including another Joy kiddo named Sean, does excellent work in school & isn’t afraid to jump into the mix of things no matter what they are. One of my favorite things about Josiah is the wonder in his eyes. With every new experience he was ready to take it on with an open mind & no hesitation! Josiah would be an excellent big brother, little brother or only child… he’s really a happy-go-lucky kiddo who just wants to belong & be loved! Josiah has a congenital heart defect. At two years-old he had surgery that, if he was born in the US, would have been done at infancy. This probably saved his life, for now. The procedure was successful, but what happens when kids get older? They grow, and so do their hearts. Josiah will most likely need another procedure. We will not know until a cardiac surgeon has the opportunity to complete a full medical profile. What Josiah wants the most is a family. I witnessed this every moment I was with him last week in China. He wanted to please me. He wanted attention from me and the other advocates. He wanted to be friends with the other kids. And he was all that and more.
Sean was recently apart of GWCA’s JOY program. A family spent a week getting to know Sean and these are some of the amazing things they have to say about him! Sean is a clever, well-mannered and helpful 13 year old boy. Our family spent 5 days getting to know Sean, and within hours of meeting him we could see that despite the fact that he is deaf and mostly mute, he is very intelligent. He had hearing aids until he was 3 years old but they were uncomfortable so he quit wearing them. Then, when he came into the orphanage they were no longer accessible. He says he cannot hear from his left ear but he can hear sounds and words from his right ear if he is wearing an earbud headphone. Sean is fluent in Chinese Sign Language and seemed to be keen on learning ASL signs as well. He can also read and write in Chinese. He is very “tuned in” to whatever is going on around him and finds ways to communicate with others. He is well behaved, patient, observant and helpful. Since we spent 5 days with him, we were able to watch him even when he wasn’t aware we were doing so. His excellent behavior was consistent at all times. Sean has an amazing sense of humor! His humor is universal and he understands other’s level of “fun” and play easily so nobody ever got hurt! Sean also knows there is a time & a place for this kind of silly, and quickly reels it back in when necessary. We had younger children in our group, and he was always patient as we had to tend to their many needs. We got to play ball, jump rope, blow bubbles, play tag, and even had a water fight. We could tell that Sean is an incredibly active, athletic and agile kiddo. This young man would fit well into any family. He is longing for parents and even siblings of his own. He is TRULY an amazing young man & the family whom steps up to adopt him will be so fortunate to have him in their lives!
Click Here to Watch a Video of Me!
Jade is an adorable little gal that is 4 years old! Jade was born with PKU. She is also delayed compared to her file does not indicate how significant her delays are. She can walk freely, go up and downstairs on her own and can help her caretakers with some basic self-care needs. Jade is delayed on her language development but her caretakers say that she is eager to get the attention of new and familiar people. Jade’s file is limited so GWCA is working on getting an update on her. Please contact one of our matching specialists if you are interested in reviewing her full file!
Ready to get started?
