Kids We ServeBethany Christian Services Global, LLC

Difference between International Adoption Then and Now

Profile of the types of children we serve

Reason for the change in types of children we serve

What this means for families

Information on Bethany’s Waiting Child Portal

Objectives

When is Then?

5 years ago? 10 years ago? 1 year ago? 6 months ago?

Culture of Change and Movement

Then?

Numbers from 2000 (THEN)

449 Placements from all countries

323 of these placements were children aged 3 and under (72%)

Only 41 placements for Special Needs (9%)

Then in Numbers

Numbers from 2012 (NOW)

263 Placements from all countries

138 of these placements were children aged 3 and under (52%)

172 placements were for Special Needs (65%)

Now in Numbers

Numbers Projected for 2013 (CURRENT)

Estimated 351 Placements for 2013

40% predicted to be age 3 and under

70% predicted to be Special Needs Placements

Projections in Numbers

0

100

200

300

400

500

2000 2012 2013

Placements

Under 3

Special Needs

What Does That Look Like?

Guatemala

Russia

LOTS of YOUNG children from previous countries

THEN numbers reflect LOTS of babies

Then- Countries

Developing programs in Ghana and Brazil

Children coming from these “new” programs will be more reflective of the reality of intercountry adoption- older children, children with special needs, sibling groups, etc.

NOW numbers reflect new realities

Now- Countries

Continuum of Care

Adoption is the LAST resort

Better research into family dynamics, family preservation and social services means less children available for adoption

Ethics

Why the Change?

Continuum of Care

Public Education

Family Support

Foster Care

Domestic Adoption

IntercountryAdoption

Prevention of Child Abandonment

How children come into care has changed as well

Continuum of Care means: No longer just abandonment due to cultural/government regulations

More children coming into care due to abuse/neglect

This means that the children who ARE in care have more needs now than they did before

Children have more complex histories

Changes: Coming Into Care

Intercountry Adoption is changing

“Healthy Infants” no longer the norm

New “face” of ICA:

Specific medical/health diagnoses

Developmental disabilities

Complex psycho-emotional needs

Older children

Sibling Groups

Continuum of Care: Adoption

What about the worldwide “orphan crisis”? Where are all these orphans that are being talked about?

ORPHAN is not synonymous for INFANT

Orphan crisis- thousands of children worldwide waiting for families- many of whom are older and/or have special needs

Orphan Crisis

Advocating for the children who need families across the world (not just advocating for infants)

Presenting waiting children to families who are interested and doing direct recruiting for those children

Education on the realities of international adoption to prospective families

Remaining true to our ethical framework

Bethany’s Response

Longer wait time for referrals for “young” children (under the age of 3)

Colombia, Ethiopia, China as examplesIn the future, the wait times will likely CONTINUE to increase, as we see less and less “young” children available

No such thing as a child without “needs”

Institutionalization, lack of family structure in a child’s life always correlates to needs of some sortMoving from “no identified needs” to an understanding that all children adopted internationally will have special needs of some severity

What This Means to Families

More direct recruiting for families who are able and willing to adopt an older child, sibling group, or a child with special needs

More education on the needs of a child who is being adopted through intercountry adoption (webinars, Bethany’s required 30 hours of training)

More exposure to families regarding the realities of international adoption-putting it OUT THERE

What This Means for Families

We need YOU to help spread the word about the realities of children available for adoption and help advocate for these children who do not have families!

We Need YOU!

Currently over 400 children listed on Bethany’s waiting child portal- more being added monthly

This is only a PORTION of the children available worldwide, but the profiles are ones that have been entrusted to us to find families for

Children with various needs, various ages, from various countries

Waiting Child Portal

New categorization system for children on the waiting portal allows families to see and understand the realities of identified needs of children across the globe

Categories include:Medical/Physical Conditions

Developmental Delay

Developmental Disability

Older Children

Sibling Groups

Psychoemotional Conditions

Waiting Child Categorization

3% from Africa

1% from Albania

30% from Bulgaria

8% from China

3% from Colombia

2% from Ethiopia

2% from Ghana

7% from Hong Kong

1% from Korea

30% from Lithuania

12% from Philippines

1% from Uganda

Waiting Children by Country

The face of international adoption is changing and will continue to change

Trends are increasing towards placing children who are older, sibling groups or who have special needs

Children ARE waiting right now for families, and Bethany shares some of the profiles of these waiting children through the Bethany Waiting Child Portal

Closing

Families receive access to the waiting child portal, where they can view all profiles of waiting children, when they complete a free preliminary application

Preliminary application can be completed by visiting: https://www.bethany.org/main/international-adoption-form

Accessing the Portal

Questions?

THANK YOU!