In early 2020, when the neo-crowning epidemic broke out, international adoption programs were suspended in many countries around the world, including China. As time passed, some countries reopened their international adoption programs, but the door to China remained closed. The official Chinese agency in charge of adoption affairs says the program was suspended to ensure the safety of the children and is unsure when it will be reopened. For many adoptive families in the U.S. looking forward to getting their children back, the long wait seems to be coming to an end.
“When will the children come home?
Suzi Madill told the Voice of America that their newly adopted son Joshua would be playing with his brothers right now if it weren’t for the new crown epidemic.
Suzi and her husband, Jon Madill, were supposed to arrive in China to welcome Joshua on Feb. 10 of this year. But on Jan. 28, they were told they couldn’t go to China for a while because of the new crown epidemic.
Susie said that for the past 10 months, their suitcases have been packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. “We were ready to go at any time. Unpacking felt like giving up. We’re ready to go at a moment’s notice.”
The suitcase they packed for Joshua was stuffed with children’s clothes and toys.
The Karen Gilsdorf family at Disneyland.
Karen Gilsdorf’s room for her youngest daughter, Sidney.
Karen said that if her youngest daughter, Sydney, had been picked up from China on time, the trip would have been a family of four. She remembers well that April 6 was supposed to be the day the family was reunited.
Alexis was also adopted from China. Karen says Alexis was very excited to hear that the family was adopting another little sister from China.
“She can’t wait to play with her sister, swim, teach her things, she can’t wait to have a sister,” Karen said.
Unfortunately, earlier this year, they were informed that they would not be able to pick up their child in China on time.
When asked what was the most difficult thing for them, both families answered “waiting.
Susie says, “There is no end in sight, and we have no control over when we can pick him up.
Karen said, “I want to hug them so badly, to love them, and to start the process of bonding. These kids need a family, they need love, and it makes me sad that I can’t provide that for them right now.”
For most of the past six months, the two families have only been able to keep up with their children’s situation in China through the limited photos and short videos provided by the adoption agency.
New Crown Epidemic Hits International Child Adoption
Kristen Hamilton of the National Council For Adoption told VOA by email that they estimate there are now more than 250 U.S. families waiting to be allowed to enter China, based on a survey conducted in June of this year and data from several adoption agencies.
Hamilton said that in the early days of the epidemic, from February through the spring, travel restrictions related to the new crowns severely impacted the process of American families completing adoptions of children in many countries. Paperwork for U.S. immigration authorities and foreign embassies and consulates was also slowed by the epidemic …… but now many countries have reopened travel restrictions for international adoptions. During travel, U.S. adoptive families must follow safety protocols and health measures, which may include quarantine, testing and other regulations in the destination country.
Lauren Jiang, director of the international adoption program at Spece-Chapin, an international adoption organization, told VOA that countries are taking different steps in the face of the neo-crowning epidemic. Colombia and Bulgaria, for example, did not stop the process of international adoption during the epidemic. In the past, Bulgaria required adoptive parents to travel twice, the first time to meet and begin the process of bonding with the child, and the second time when the adoptive parents traveled to Bulgaria to complete the final legal process and then apply for a visa to bring the child home. Now, Bulgaria has made some changes to the adoption process.
She says, “They’ve moved the first meeting process online so that the adoptive parents and the child can still meet and have initial contact, but it minimizes the risk of spreading the epidemic.”
Other countries that originally required adoptive families to appear in court now allow remote court appearances, and there have been cases where missionaries have helped adoptive families bring adopted children back to the United States from Haiti.
Rebecca Tolson, who handles adoptions from China for Nightlight Christian Adoptions, another international adoption organization, told VOA that they have seen many governments, including Taiwan and Hong Kong, make changes based on allowing U.S. families to enter the country.
“Some countries require adoptive families to be quarantined for two weeks after entering the country before they can meet the child and begin doing official paperwork. Such measures often require adoptive families to extend their stay in the country.”
Rebecca said China is now one of the very few countries that has not reopened its doors to adoptive families. For the past few years, she said, Nightlight has helped about two dozen families adopt children from China each year, and this year they’ve only completed two cases, the last of which was completed in March.
China says moratorium on international adoptions is for child safety
According to a November 17 update on the U.S. State Department’s website, the Chinese government is still not handling international adoptions.
The China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption under the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs told VOA that the reason for not allowing foreign families to pick up their children in China is to protect their children’s health, and that they are worried that their children will be infected if they go abroad during the epidemic, adding that there is no clear timeline for when foreign families will be allowed to pick up their children.
The reporter called the Marriage and Adoption Registration Center in Hexi District, Tianjin, and the center staff confirmed that they have not received any cases of foreign adoptions approved by Beijing this year.
However, international adoption organizations and families point out that it is good for children’s health and well-being to be in a family environment as early as possible.
Spence Chapin’s Lauren says, “Many, not all, of the children in international adoptions were previously in institutions. Some countries will provide foster homes, but many children are living in institutionalized facilities, which are often under-resourced.”
Susie, who is waiting for a child to be adopted, said, “The longer a child stays in an institution, the more problems they have. The more three months a child stays in an institution, the more their cognitive abilities are delayed by a month. If they stay an extra year, it can lead to a four-month delay in their development, which is beyond their control. That’s why children should be brought home as early as possible so they can transition to family life early.”
They’re willing to try new approaches for reunification
U.S. adoption agencies are hoping that the Chinese government will work with the U.S. State Department to work out a plan to reopen international adoptions and allow children to be reunited with their families as soon as possible, while ensuring their safety.
Karen said she and some of the adoptive families she knows feel they are willing to make any compromise as long as the child is brought home as soon as possible.
Karen said. “If all of our families had to get on the same plane to China, stay in the same hotel, and stay there without taking a step out of the hotel, we’d do anything to keep everyone safe. We’re willing to do anything to get our kids back as long as we can keep everyone safe,”
Rebecca says, “I know that Hong Kong makes an exception for adoptive families, and they need to have their new crowns tested 48 hours before boarding the plane and again when they get off the plane. If families going to China to adopt are also tested before boarding and quarantined after landing, I think many families would be willing to do that.”
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