Orphan Hosting FAQ's

Ian arrived in United States today and it's awesome how many people are interested in his story and have helped to advocate by sharing blog and Facebook posts within their networks. And with all that sharing, questions have naturally come up about orphan hosting. It's a new concept to most people, including those who have previously adopted internationally. To better understand the hosting program, I've compiled these frequently asked questions based on the questions I have received.

What is "orphan hosting"?
China is one of a couple of countries (along with Latvia and the Philippines, to name a few) that facilitates programs where children in state care come to the United States for a couple of weeks to experience the love of a family, life outside their orphanage and U.S. culture. It's an opportunity to learn about a child and any medical needs he or she has, and advocate for that child with information beyond what's in his or her adoption file. The ultimate goal is to connect potential forever families to these children, who would be otherwise harder to place if they had remained in their home countries. Typically, over 75% of children who are hosted end up being adopted after their first host trip, whether by their host family or their host family’s community members, extended family members, or friends.

Ian is being hosted through Great Wall China Adoption, based out of Austin, Texas.  Great Wall is one of many American adoption agencies with China hosting programs.  Children typically come for four to five weeks over the holiday season or in the summer.

Who's chosen for the China hosting program?
Staff from adoption agencies work together with orphanages they have established relationships with to identify children who are at risk of not being adopted, such as children who are older or who have significant and/or overwhelming-sounding special needs. These are the children who need an opportunity for people to get to know them beyond the little (and sometimes inaccurate or incomplete) information available in their adoption files. A medical diagnosis like cerebral palsy or the thought of parenting a 12-year-old boy may initially overwhelm a family, but if they meet a child and witness how mobile and independent she is despite muscle weakness, or meet that preteen and have the opportunity to form a bond, the leap of faith adoption requires feels less like jumping off the deep end.

Who hosts them?
Two types of families host, those who intend to adopt the child they are hosting and those who host in order to advocate.

What do families do to advocate?
Host families find different ways to spread the word about the particular child they're hosting, but also the many other children in orphanages in China who need families. They typically use social media and blog, but will also host gatherings in their community for friends and family to get to know their host child. 

If the host family wants to adopt their host child, can the child stay?
Oh how I wish there were so! At the end of the hosting term, the host children and their chaperones must return to China. The family can start the adoption process before the child returns, but they still must complete the same nine-to-10-month process as families who have not hosted. 

Why can the children only stay a few weeks?  Why can't they live with foster families in the U.S. until they are adopted?
The children participating in the China hosting program are Chinese citizens and are under the guardianship of orphanages in their home cities and are not eligible for foster care in the U.S.

Ian is so young. I thought only older children could be hosted.
Since most children who are chosen for a hosting program are at least seven or eight years old, it is unusual for a child this young to be hosted. However, his orphanage believes Ian's autism diagnosis is incorrect and felt strongly that his best chance of being a adopted would be to be hosted. In addition to advocating, his host family has a number of specialists lined up who will be providing evaluations pro bono. 


If I'm interested in adopting one of the host children, what should I do?
Contract Great Wall China Adoption at 512-323-9595.