ADOPTION and HOST A CHILD PROGRAM GOALS

The goal of Host a Child Program is to bring older children to the United States and give them the opportunity to experience American culture and family life. Through this unique program there is a good chance that the children will be adopted by either the hosting family, or another family who has the opportunity to meet and spend time with the child.

While we can never guarantee that the Host Family will be able to adopt the child they hosted, many families have been able to successfully complete their adoption. However, there are always risks and uncertainties associated with international adoption and it is important for host families to understand that there is no guarantee that you will be able to adopt the child you host or a child you meet during the hosting period.  Below we have listed some of the most common barriers that have come up for families wishing to adopt their hosted children:

• The country could change its adoption laws and policies regarding international adoption
• A local family or a foreign family could adopt your hosted child before you are able to travel to complete the adoption
• A family member could step up to adopt the child
• The child may have siblings we do not know about who will have to be adopted with the child
• The child may be moved to a family care home (similar to our foster homes).  That family may decide to adopt the child.  Or the family may influence the child to refuse to agree to be adopted by the host family.
• The child’s paperwork may not be in order.  Termination of parental rights may not have been completed or the child may not have been properly registered for adoption.

This information is provided to you not to discourage you from hosting a child.  Instead, we truly believe that host parents who are also considering adoption deserve to be treated respectfully, and to us that means sharing all of the information – both the “feel good,” happy stories and also the difficulties you may encounter.