Inter-country adoption is a new type of adoption in which a child becomes a legal and permanent member of a foreign adoptive family. It is a complementary program of domestic adoption and an important program for child welfare. The Wujiang Social Welfare Center started inter-country adoption in 2011. Since then, it has referred 34 cases and 22 of the children have been adopted in a different country, 16 in the USA and 1 in England, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain and Finland, respectively.
Ⅰ.Reasons for being sent to the Center and their life, treatment and study
Most children in the Center have been abandoned and sent here by the public security organ, 90% of them are with disabilities and recent years have seen more complicated cases.
1. The children undergo a complete physical examination on the basis of which personalized further tests, treatment and precautions are taken for efficient disease control. By regular examinations, health care and health education, we ensure an immediate response to any potential disease and provide a healthy living environment. Whoever gets into a complicated disease will be referred to large hospitals in major cities such as Nanjing and Shanghai.
2. We establish a family relationship in their upbringing. The warmth of living in a lovely house with family members helps to disperse the coldness of being abandoned. To enrich their life, we hold monthly theme activities and arrange classes to develop their interests.
3. They begin to receive education at their school age. We have volunteer teachers for homework instruction and other problems in their study after school. We offer assistance in their preparation for work and follow-up services in their career, helping them adapt to the social climate and start a new phase.
Ⅱ. Attempts to realize inter-country adoption and the children’s responses
1. It was difficult to manage inter-country adoption at the beginning of the program, partly because some children in the Center didn’t understand or cooperate. They were anxious that they would be traded or reduced to beggars and were dismal about future loneliness, helplessness and language and communication problems.
1.1 We comforted them with patient and careful explanation. They finally understood that there were strict approval formalities and evaluations throughout the program, that an overall evaluation would be conducted, covering information in education, residence, income, health and other aspects of the adoptive families, and that the adoption would be approved only if the families met the qualifications.
1.2 We welcome them to return to the Center after the adoption. A return visit can be a window into the kids’ early childhood, which often recalls their memory of friends and staff here. It also allows us to know more about the children and their adoptive families. Always we find them deeply loved and well cared for in their lovely home.
1.3 Ongoing contact is well kept. After the inter-country adoption, we keep in touch with all adoptive families to follow the developments, convey our wishes and everlasting care. We hope that they enjoy being with new families and cherish the love, attention and protection provided.
1.4 The adoptees’ growth in the adoptive families is presented to the public. The display wall for inter-country adoption is covered with happy moments of these children living abroad, and thus ensures that everyone concerned about them have a direct access to their lives and growth.
1.5 Contact with older children of inter-country adoption is possible through video chat. It enables us to feel their lives abroad intuitively and meanwhile is favorable for their Chinese proficiency.
1.6 Language training is conducted before inter-country adoption. Informed of inter-country adoption applications, we recruit volunteers to teach eligible children the language of receiving countries. It will help them settle in and minimize their loneliness and fear due to language barrier.
1.7 Psychological guidance is given before inter-country adoption. It aims to foster the children’s active and optimistic attitude towards their new lives abroad. Furthermore, the psychological guidance from the family is also essential for a child in a foster family.
(1) Build relations and mutual trust.
(2) Build self-confidence and get rid of over-reliance.
(3) Improve a sense of cooperation and the ability of handing conflicts through gameplay.
2. We make every effort to increase inter-country adoption opportunities for orphans and children with disabilities.
2.1 Staff of the inter-country adoption center or agencies are invited to be informed of the children in our center.
2.2 We communicate with other entities of the same kind and share experience in this area.
2.3 The public is informed of the latest development of our children by material completion and regular update.
3. It is natural that our children get excited at first and then somewhat worried when told that they are going to have adoptive parents abroad. Language barriers often daunt them. There was a case of an older adopted child named xiaomei. When she was going through relevant procedures in Nanjing, she told the director on the phone that she didn’t want to be adopted any more because her friends told her that once a foreigner reaches 18, he or she is not taken care of by anyone and she will definitely face the unacquainted food and language. For several hours, she was too worried and scared to stop crying. The director comforted her patiently and persuaded her by introducing her to life overseas, and by promising her that we would keep in touch with her at any time. Now she lives happily in America. Her families give us feedback on her growth with her recent photos when festivals come. Xiaomei herself also often chats with us on QQ, asking after us as well as talking about her life in America.
III. Lives of inter-country adoptees, their contacts with the Center, their feelings and hope as well as changes in their new lives
Our center keeps in touch with them at any time and pay close attention to their new lives.
1. Older children contact with us on QQ, from simple English words to complete sentences, sending us their photos and life details. We can thus accompany them throughout their growth.
2. Small children and their new parents send us some photos and videos regularly to inform us of their growth and development.
3. We send these overseas children emails and photos of our center on each festival, letting them know their friends’ growth and we always care about them.
Their smiles when finally embraced by a new family mean everything to the center and from that we see the value of our mission. Inter-country adoption provides a chance for more adoptees especially children with disabilities settling in a new family and thus ensures their medical rehabilitation as soon as possible. They will enjoy better education and loving care of new parents, starting their happy new lives. Inter-country adoption strengthens the bonds and friendship between countries. Moreover, we also deeply feel the significance and value of our efforts in this area, that is, to maximize our children’s interest and resettle them in family full of happiness, love and understanding for their comprehensive and healthy development.
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