[grumpyskirtgirl]

Is there a forum for Hong Kong adoptions that I am just not seeing?

[DPline]

No. Not a separate one.
I did a quick search on here and a lot of threads came up, many on the China forum as it is a territory of China, but I didnt read through them so I am not sure how helpful they would be.

[Max'smom]

Perhaps you know this, but Hong Kong is now governed by China, so any adoptions that take place there go through the central government first. That is why Hong Kong is not treated separately on this forum.

[grumpyskirtgirl]

Thank you.

[sak9645]

Max's Mom:

Your comment is inaccurate. Hong Kong, though belonging to China, is under an agreement that gives it autonomy in a number of areas, for 50 years (which started in 1997).

One of the areas of autonomy is adoptions. Hong Kong has a strong and well-developed adoption system.

Given Hong Kong's prosperity and Westernization, there are relatively few children in need of adoption, and the system it has very little difficulty placing the healthy infants and toddlers, who are healthy or have very mild special needs, with Hong Kong residents.

As a result, there is much less need for international adoption than there is in countries like China, where (up until recently) there were many healthy infants in need of parents. Nonetheless, some international adoptions from Hong Kong do occur.

Where possible, in international adoption, Hong Kong gives preference to overseas families of Chinese heritage, so that any children who are adopted will retain aspects of their birth culture. In general, most of the remaining healthy younger children, plus some healthy older children and children with special needs, will go to these families.

For non-Chinese families, the international program is almost entirely a special needs and older child program, because these are the hardest to place kids. If you are open to special needs, and especially the more significant special needs, this is an excellent choice.

There is no Hong Kong forum here, because the total number of adoptions from Hong Kong by Americans -- both those of Chinese heritage and those of non-Chinese heritage -- is fairly small. If enough people want a board for Hong Kong adoptions, I'm sure that the moderators will create one. And I certainly hope that enough people will come forward to adopt the beautiful special needs children of Hong Kong.


Sharon

[grumpyskirtgirl]

We are open to SN & what I am reading HK's program is exactly as you described.

It seems like there is a lot of agencies with programs there, for such a small country.

[sak9645]

Actually, there are relatively few U.S. agencies with Hong Kong programs. To place children from Hong Kong, an agency must have Hague accreditation, and not all agencies qualify. And most of the agencies with Hague accreditation place only one or two children a year through their program. In 2010, according to the U.S. State Department, only 12 children from Hong Kong came home to the U.S. on adoption visas; 2011 figures are not yet available, but no huge increase is expected. Unfortunately, it is very hard to find families for older children and those with special needs.

Sharon

[bianca7799]

No. But you could post about Hong Kong in the China forum.