China adoptions are fully closed because of the requirement that children be abandoned or orphaned in order to be made available for adoption.  No birth family information, including no family medical or genetic history, is available in these adoptions.

Vietnam adoptions may be fully closed in cases where children have been abandoned, or there may be minimal information on birth families that have placed their children in orphanage care with an adoption plan in mind.

In Guatemala, birth parents and adoptive parents will work with the same attorney through Heritage throughout the adoption process.  There is opportunity, therefore, to ask questions and receive information such as the birth mother’s name, age, reason for choosing adoption, and some family background, and perhaps to obtain a picture.  The birth father is always listed as unknown, so there is little or no information available about him.  The attorneys are glad to receive pictures and updates sent by the adoptive families for birth parents.  Adoptive families also meet the child’s foster parents, and have plenty of time to ask them questions and take pictures.

Adoptions through our Haiti programs may include the opportunity to meet birth parents, receive photos of them and correspond, sending pictures and progress reports via Heritage and the orphanage.  Caregivers at both Haitian orphanages are always delighted to meet adoptive parents and tell them about the child.

In Kazakhstan, adoptions are typically closed, though identifying information may be found in medical records. The degree to which information is available depends on the particular child’s situation and varies greatly.

Do you have an interest in or love for a particular country? If so, perhaps adopting a child from that country would be pleasing and allow you to learn even more. In addition, your knowledge of and interest in the country would benefit your child as well. You will be more inclined to have books and artifacts about the country in your home, maintain knowledge about the country’s political situation and travel to the country for a visit as the child grows older.

Is the gender of the child you adopt important? If so, adopting a child already born and waiting may be the best solution. Most adoptions in America are dependent on an ultrasound to determine gender, which as we all know does not always provide infallible answers. Most adoptions from China are of girls, though there are an increasing number of boys available through China’s Special Needs or Waiting Child program.  Worldwide there are more adoptions of girls than boys, so in almost all countries other than China, boys are in greater need of families. 

How comfortable are you with travel? With new and unfamiliar situations? If they feel like an exciting adventure, an international adoption may be great for you. If not, you may want to choose domestic adoption or spend time brainstorming solutions to your anxiety.

How long can you be away from home? If being away is difficult, a domestic adoption may be the right answer. Domestic programs, even if the child is not born locally, usually allow you to be back home within a few days to a week. International programs vary in their travel requirements, from only three days for Guatemala to about four weeks for Kazakhstan. Your experience in your child’s country of origin can be invaluable in teaching them about their background as they grow

Do you meet the requirements of the program or agency you’re interested in? If not, no amount of wishing things were different can change the facts. Most international program requirements are set by the country involved. Most domestic requirements are determined by the adoption process and the circumstances surrounding typical adoptions.

Are there programs you can eliminate due to the expense? If you can’t afford the program you’re most interested in, might you be eligible for an adoption grant? (See our Financial Resources page.)
 

Is the age of the child you adopt important? Most children adopted internationally range from a few months at the youngest--like Haiti and Guatemala--through toddlers and older children--like China, Haiti, and Kazakhstan. Vietnam ? For domestic adoptions, adopting parents are usually present at the hospital and accept custody a day or a few days after birth.

How do you feel about the opportunity to know and/or interact with your child’s birth parents? Families anxious about continuing contact may elect a program where there is little or no contact with birth families.

Those who feel strongly that they want to provide as many answers as possible for their child will find that domestic adoption or adoption from Haiti best meet their needs. You may feel a sense of satisfaction in meeting your child’s birth parents, having the opportunity to interact with them, have photos of them, and/or have an ongoing relationship with them.

Those who would like to believe their child’s birth parents don’t matter really need to pick up a copy of Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew by Sherrie Eldridge. Whether you know a lot or a little about birth parents, your child will think about them. This is entirely normal. Your job as a parent will be to make it okay to think about and talk about them, even if nothing is known about them

One thing that can be hard for many people to acknowledge is that the ethnicity of the child they adopt matters to them. It is important to them that the child looks like he or she could have been born to them. There can be many reasons for this. They may have family members who would not welcome a child whose ethnicity is different from their own. The adopting parents may feel unprepared to meet the needs of a child of a different ethnic background. They may not want to feel conspicuous and answer the questions put to them by strangers. We recommend that any family considering adoption across racial or ethnic lines visit Adoption Learning Partners and take their (currently) free online course titled “Conspicuous Families,” which we believe will be a great help.

If this is an issue for you or your family, acknowledging it is critical. It is better for you to be honest, so that you do not adopt a child who would not be altogether welcome and celebrated in all his or her glory.

It is good to choose a program with a coordinator you feel comfortable working with. You will have lots of contact over the coming months and months!

We hope this gives you some help in leaning toward one or more programs and/or away from others. Please feel free to call or email us with your questions about choosing a program. We are very happy to help!