Reflections at the end of the year...

So, it's the last day of 2006, and a new year starts at midnight. I'm not typically the type of person to make new year's resolutions, or to get nostalgic over the passing of time, but I can't help but look forward to this coming year with some hope & excitement!

Sometime during this coming year, assuming all goes as planned, we'll be completing our family with a son. This the first time I've ever said that our family will be "complete" when we get our son from China. In the past, I've always thought that "4" is a nice even number of kids to have, and I've dreamt about adopting again in the future when we finally get through our current adoption. But, at this point, I just don't think I have it in me. We've been at this for just about 2 years, and, if we were not adopting from the WCP, we'd probably have almost as long to wait before bringing home our baby. Since we are with the WCP, its almost certain that we'll get him this year (like I'm ready NOW!!!), so I consider us very lucky.

And then there is all the hubbabaloo about the changing IA regulations in China. I believe that we'd be fortunate enough to still qualify for a 4th child, but I wonder if the process is not going to become more difficult in the future. Some people are pointing to the "on-line" system for Waiting Children that is supposed to open to all countries in February as evidence that the procedures for this program will become quicker. I guess that will be a wait-and-see kind of thing.

Anyways, I'm probably getting ahead of myself, as usual. We'll wait and see how the next year goes and then I'll have to decide if we're supposed to have another child! Oh ya, my husband gets some input, too ;)!

I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2007, filled with big & small blessings!

More on China's New "Rules"

Anyone who reads adoption blogs and websites knows there has been much consternation over the new foreign adoption regulations that China has just announced. According to some adoption agencies quoted in the press, these new guidelines (effective May 2007) will reduce the number of qualified applicants by 25-50%.

A poll posted by the "Rumour Queen" http://www.chinaadopttalk.com has been taken by almost 2000 people within the last week. Of those who voted, about 41% do not qualify to adopt a child under the new rules.

Even though this poll is what we like to call a non-random sample (made up of people interested in Chinese adoption who also participate in forums like the RQ's website), it does indicate that there will be a significant impact of these new regulations on the lives of many people. But it remains to be seen whether the new rules will reduce the number of China adoption applications significantly- at least in the long term, once the dust has settled over the next year or so.

To make things more interesting, Chinese officials have recently been quoted in the China Daily (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-12/25/content_766420.htm) describing the new rules as temporary, and stating that they are not meant to prohibit "less qualified applicants" from adopting, but will give priority to the "more qualified".

So, who knows what the story will be in a year from now? In international adoption, things can change on a dime. But the new regulations have made for a bittersweet holiday season for a lot of people, it seems.

Oh, if you are interested in seeing the new regulations as posted by the Rumour Queen, go here: http://chinaadopttalk.com/2006/12/22/official-ccaa-statement/

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season, whether you celebrate Christmas or not!

More News Articles on China's Adoption Changes

The New York Times (thanks, Stephanie!):

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/us/20adopt.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

An interesting take from the Boston Herald:

http://news.bostonherald.com/international/view.bg?articleid=172973


The Taipei Times (Hong Kong):
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/12/21/2003341281

A Canadian perspective:

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/12/20/adoption-china.html#skip300x250

China's New Adoption Rules

Anyone in the process of adopting from China is probably well aware that the China Centre for Adoption Affairs (or CCAA, the central agency responsible for all adoptions carried out in China) has "verbally" released new adoption regulations, most of which will be effective on May 1, 2007. While they have yet to officially publish the new rules, they have contacted the adoption agencies with which they work, and the word is getting out. For a quick take on the changes, see the BBC news article at:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6194477.stm

Probably the biggest change will be that single parents will no longer be able to adopt from China, at least in a practical sense. So, agencies are looking to other countries in which single parents may find their children. There are also changes in financial status requirements and parental health requirements which will limit the number of families who will be able to adopt Chinese children.

It is interesting to wonder why the CCAA is tightening up their rules at this time. Obviously, they take their responsibility of finding families for children in their care extremely seriously, and we all should be grateful for that. As well, people are suggesting that an increase in Chinese domestic adoptions and a decrease in the number of children that are available for adoption has a lot to do with this.

Both of these trends are fantastic news for Chinese children and their families. I truly believe that if a child can be placed in a stable, permanent, and loving home in his or her country, then that should be the first choice. International adoption should be the second choice, which kicks in when there are more children in need of families than can be placed domestically.

As for a decrease in the number of available children... this is really something that I'd like to know more about. Without question, child abandonment appears to be decreasing in some regions/provinces in China- particularly in more urban areas. And it will probably continue to decrease, especially since families are being encouraged to raise daughters to help deal with the impending "female shortage" in the future (traditionally, families relied on sons, and with the famous "One Child Policy", daughters were typically the ones placed in orphanages). But given the shear size of the population, and the fact that there are so many orphanages (reportedly, many of which do not even participate in the international adoption program), it makes one wonder if there is a real decrease in the number of China's orphans... or if the decrease is mostly in the number of children that get channeled into the international adoption stream.

Given the rapid social and economic changes in China, there is little doubt that the face of Chinese adoption will change as well. We'll all just have to stay tuned.

There'll be much mistletoeing and hearts will be glowing...

…It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!!

Huh?
Warning: the following commentary is brought to you by a mother who has not finished Christmas shopping.

I truly love Christmas.

I think it is because I am an idealist, even an optimist, and I believe that the Christmas season allows people to be more generous and just a bit more concerned about their fellow human beings.

It’s my theory that this, in part, is due to a change in network television programming. Seriously!

Here’s the thing: compared to other times of the year, there are more pro-social television programs on (at least during prime time) over the Christmas season. Meaning that more people are watching “positive” programming and less of the usual crime/punishment/dark side of humanity stuff. Which probably has an effect on our collective ability to be a little more generous, a little more tolerant…

Think I’m eating too many roasted chestnuts? Well, consider this: in a child development study from 1975, children who were shown a prosocial TV show actually “helped” more than kids who were shown other programs. And what was this TV show? Lassie, of course!

(“What’s that girl? Timmy’s ratings fell down a well?” Oh well. We lost Lassie but gained a purple dinosaur- hokey, yes, but oh so pro-social!)

So, do Christmas TV specials depicting our favorite characters being a little kinder and gentler actually rub off on us? They certainly can’t hurt.

But there is little doubt that Christmas has been bringing out the better side of humanity long before the invention of the cathode ray tube. Dickens confirms this for us in “A Christmas Carol” (written in 1842) when Ebenezer Scrooge’s nephew says of Christmas…

“(it’s)…the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys…”

Obviously, my TV-based theory is skating on thin ice. Speaking of ice… maybe those former-Olympian figure skating specials have something to do with it…

No, not even the thoughts of needing to spend 5 hours shopping tomorrow will dampen my Christmas spirit. And if I find that the Mall is not exactly a refuge of good will and sisterly love, I’m sure there will be a nice holiday family special on tomorrow night!

An Adoption-Awareness Fast

Mary-Frances Scully is a mother living in St. John’s who is very concerned about the state of adoption in Canada.

Adoption is close to her heart. She was adopted as a newborn in Ireland, and one of her sons came into her family through adoption from Thailand.

It was when she began her son’s adoption process that Mary-Frances realized that there are elements about adoption in Canada that make no sense. In October 2000, Mary-Frances and her husband applied to the provincial authorities to adopt a child. Since Mary-France’s husband is Vietnamese, and they had recently returned from a trip to Vietnam during which they visited several orphanages, they wished to adopt a little boy from there. About 6 months later, when they had completed a required pre-adoption course, adoption from Vietnam to Canada was no longer possible, since there was a federal ban in place. They decided that it would be wonderful if they could adopt a Canadian boy of Eurasian heritage, and they searched for an adoption agency that could help them. They found that there were simply no programs to apply to.

Since adoption in Canada is regulated by the provinces/territories, it is next to impossible to adopt from outside your own province, except by direct placement (i.e., if a birth family wishes to place their child specifically with you). Domestic adoption in Newfoundland & Labrador was not an option for Mary-Frances’ family- the average wait for a healthy infant is 12 years, and there are maximum age limits for parents that apply.

In the end, Mary-Frances and her family decided to work with an agency in BC, which helped them find their son in Thailand. Their application was sent to Thailand in Fall 2002, they received a referral in May 2003, and they traveled to bring their 2-year-old son home in June 2004. In July 2006, the family traveled to Ottawa to sign official adoption papers from Thailand, and their son’s adoption was finalized in November, 2006- a journey of more than 5 long years!

This is a story with a happy ending, but there is no doubt that the process of adopting a child SHOULD be much quicker! To raise awareness about the challenges faced by families trying to adopt, Mary-Frances held a “Fast-a-Thon” for three days over the past 2 weeks, which, through sponsorships, also helped raise some money for our local volunteer support group “Newfoundland and Labrador Families Adopting Multiculturally” (NLFAM).

As a pediatric specialist (hematology), Mary-Frances wants the public to be aware that the Canadian Paediatric Society has recently released a position paper on transracial adoption. In brief, they conclude that when parents are sensitive to their child’s cultural background and help their child cope with issues around racism, the outcome of adoption is usually extremely positive. More information on this report is available here: http://www.cps.ca/English/statements/CP/cp06-01.htm

Also important to families who are adopting internationally is Bill C-14, which, if passed, will grant adopted children automatic citizenship upon finalization of the adoption. More detail can be found here: http://www.adoption.ca/news/060515citizenship.htm

One of the big questions that Mary-Frances’ story raises, though, is: why it is so much easier (well, relatively!) to adopt a child from another country than to adopt one from Canada? Although there are clearly not as many children legally available for adoption in Canada as there are in other countries, why is there not an effort being made to remove “provincial barriers” and find more children living in temporary care safe, loving and permanent homes?

All children, no matter their country of birth, have a right to this. When bureaucratic “rules” deny them this, something is drastically wrong with the system.

Thank you, Mary-Frances, for publicly telling your family’s story to help us remember these issues. Thank you for your example, and for your unending support of the miracle that is adoption.