Recently in Taiwan Adoption News

As the month of April begins, we have one family preparing to travel to Taiwan to adopt their toddler daughter through the Cathwel program. We also have one family in the New Hope program awaiting news of their Final Ruling any day! Four court dates are set for the month of April for families in the New Hope Program. Gladney remains in touch with all three of our licensed partner organizations in Taiwan (Chung Yi, New Hope, and Cathwel) as the child welfare legislation that was passed in November 2011 in Taiwan nears the July 1st implementation date. Some non-Gladney families are reporting that their adoption agency's Taiwan programs have recently been suspended, and we suspect that this is because the adoption agency's partner organizations in Taiwan are not licensed. Generally, under the new Taiwan law, only organizations that are licensed will be able to assist with adoption placements. Since all of the organizations we work with in Taiwan are licensed, Gladney's Taiwan program remains active and in good standing. We will continue to keep our adoptive families informed of any information that will impact the program in general, as well as the effect, if any, the legislation will have on specific families' adoption cases. Please also feel free to contact your caseworker with any questions.

In this newsletter, we wanted to announce the exciting news that Gladney and Chung Yi will work together more closely to help older children and children with special needs find families. Throughout the months of April and May, Chung Yi will prepare the profiles of several children who will be available to be adopted by Gladney families. We will provide a picture and brief summary for each child on the photolist page of our Asia Waiting Child website. The password to view the photolist page can be obtained by contacting judy.hayes@gladney.org. Please visit the photolist page and encourage other adopting families you know to also visit!

The Asia Program Staff will be at Gladney’s 125th! Will you be there?

Members of the New York based Asia Program Staff will be attending Gladney’s 125th Celebration next weekend. We would love to hear if you will be attending as well!  Please send us an email to let us know at Mary.Chapman@gladney.org

In addition to attending many of the activities, we will be hosting a table on Saturday, from 10:00a.m. until 3:00p.m. during the Welcome Home Event. Please stop by to say “Hello” and visit!

Heritage Trips Forum at Gladney’s 125th

On Friday, April 27th, from 10 – 11am, there will be a Heritage Trips Forum at Gladney’s Texas campus. Whether you are thinking of taking a Heritage Trip next year or ten years from now, learn what a life changing experience this type of trip can be.

Gongzhan Wu, VP and Managing Director of the Asia Program will discuss China Heritage Tours. Also, among the panel members will be a Gladney dad who traveled to China with his family last summer.

To register for this free forum  "Heritage Trips: A Life Changing Experience",  click here.

How does the child referral process happen in the New Hope Program?

In the Taiwan program there are several ways that a child can be referred. The actual referral process that you experience will depend on which program you are in. In this newsletter we will explain the process for the New Hope program. For families in the New Hope Program, in most instances, your caseworker will call you with the unexpected and welcome news that that you have been chosen by the child's birthmother! We will then forward you the child's full medical and social profile along with pictures and video. In some cases in the New Hope program, Gladney will be asked to propose prospective couples to be considered by a birthmother. This usually happens when a baby has a health concern or if there is social background information that might warrant additional consideration by adoptive parents. When New Hope asks Gladney to propose families for consideration we will either send out an email to families in the Taiwan program, or specifically call individual families who we think would be interested in reviewing the baby's profile. After families have had a chance to review the baby's full profile information, they will then decide whether they would like to be considered by the birthmother for possible placement. When a decision has been made for the child, we are then able to notify the parents if they have been selected or if another family has been chosen.

In the next newsletter we will highlight how the referral process takes place through the Chung Yi and Cathwel Programs.

Guang Ming Program

Zuo Zuo and his friends are waiting for a forever family!

Gladney continues to receive profiles of children through our partnership program with Shanghai Children's Home (SCH). Check the photolist page of our Asia Waiting Child blog for photos and summary information of baby girls and boys that are available through the Gladney Center for Adoption.

Learn more about Gladney's partnership with Shanghai Children's Home! Gladney hosted a special webinar earlier this year featuring Pat Marcus, pediatric physical therapist and Superkids volunteer. Pat spoke about her recent trip to SCH and the wonderful kids that she met who are living at the orphanage and in foster care. The recording of this webinar can be accessed here.

Join us for one of Gladney's monthly webinars which give an overview of the China Guang Ming program and talk about children available for adoption. These webinars are held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 1pm EST. NEXT WEBINAR IS THIS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11! Click here to register.

China Heritage Tours

Not too late for this summer, not too early for next summer

If you are thinking about traveling to China for a heritage tour this summer, it is not too late! Please contact us at chinaheritagetours@gladney.org for the steps required to book your trip up to two months before your departure date. Airfare and current passports are the first priority, followed by Visa applications, copies of documents and your customized travel itinerary.

If you are thinking of traveling next year, it is not too early to start planning. Click here for the Planning Section of our website www.gladneyasia.org.

Gladney Moms and Adoptees Build Lasting Friendships

Whitney and Courtney and their mom Beth Anne met up with Kathryn and Sarah and their mom Stephanie at the Red Egg in the heart of Manhattan's Chinatown for some delicious dim sum on Palm Sunday. Whitney and Kathryn have known each other since they met in China when their parents traveled to adopt them in 2006. Their moms have been good friends ever since and it is wonderful to see the girls growing up! Sarah is Kathryn's virtual twin and was adopted in 2007, also from China. All three older girls are now first graders! They were all adopted through Gladney's China program.

Baby Courtney, 17 months on April 1, joined big sister Whitney last August. She was adopted through Gladney's New Hope program in Taiwan. She is doing really well and has the sweetest smile!