Nearly all of the children who need families live in orphanages in their home countries. Some countries utilize a foster care system as well. The children range in age from infants to older school age children. Both boys and girls are waiting for families and most have been determined to be healthy. Children with special needs are also waiting. Most often, all children come into care because of difficulties faced by their birth parents; the most common of which are poverty and legal limitations on the number of children permitted in the family. You typically select the general age, gender, and health status of the child you wish to adopt.

There are currently three primary areas of the world in which international adoptions are occurring: Central and South America; Eastern Europe; and Asia. When selecting a country from which to adopt, it is critically important to be well educated about all the variables associated with adoptions from that country. These include, estimated costs, time frames, program stability, ages and numbers of children needing families, travel requirements, the adoption process itself, post placement requirements, risks and uncertainties, and parent eligibility requirements. Our detailed program descriptions contained elsewhere in this guide outline the specific requirements for adoption from China.  Please click here for information to guide you in choosing a country that will be right for your family.