[AZmomof3]

Hi everybody! I was wondering about the credibility of waiting child sites with photolistings. If anyone would like to share their experiences I would like to hear them. If you list a specific site, I think it should be in a pm.

[proudmommyof 2]

My dd found us through those sites! The only caveat is that we were very quickly home study ready-we just needed an update. We were able to work backwards, being matched with her as soon as our home study was updated.

I think that with younger kids or non SN kids, you aren't really guaranteed a match. When we called the agency about dd, the first thing they said was that you can't be matched through the site. Then, when I told them what child it was (she was SN and older), they worked with us and we were matched 6 weeks later.

DD was on Welcome Garden and Rainbow Kids. I think that the important thing is to not get your hopes up and not get too attached to a child until they are matched. Good luck!

[momraine]

YOu also still have to do your research. Remember that lots of agencies list on those sites. So once you find the agency representing that child, you have to do your homework on that agency. And yes, the child could already be taken by the time you do that. Also do your research into that country.

[sak9645]

Research the agencies carefully before sending money to any of them. While some extremely ethical and service oriented agencies use the photolistings, there are, unfortunately, a few agencies that may practice "bait and switch", misrepresent children's health status, etc.

Also, become an "expert" on international adoption in general, and on adoption from your country of choice, so that you can recognize misleading information.

As an example, some countries prohibit photolisting. If you see a child from one of those countries on a photolisting, you could run into major hassles if you pursue an adoption with the agency. The country could discover the photolisting, refuse to allow your adoption, and prohibit the agency from placing its children.

Also, if you see a healthy infant, and especially a healthy infant girl, on a photolisting, consider it a red flag. In general, photolistings are used to help agencies find homes for hard-to-place children, such as school aged kids or kids with special needs. They are not needed for healthy infants. Most good agencies already have long waiting lists of families wanting to adopt healthy infants, especially girls. They don't WANT more people to suffer the strain of a long wait.

While it is remotely possible that a good agency may be in a situation where a whole bunch of healthy infants became available at one time -- for example, if it opened a new country program -- it isn't common. In most cases, you should consider the following possibilities:

1. The agency is going to play "bait and switch" -- showing you the picture of a gorgeous, healthy baby and then telling you, "Oh, that child was just placed, but we have another child (not described in the same terms) who needs a home" or even, "Oh, we just referred that child, but if you send us X dollars, we will put you on our waiting list."

2. The child is not healthy. There have been several cases where agencies have posted children as healthy, when they knew that at least one family had turned them down after meeting them and discovering that they had very significant special needs.

3. The agency is so bad that no one wants to adopt through it. This agency may have a history of losing paperwork, not knowing the rules, having unethical practices, having excessively high fees, etc. As a result, even if it truly can access healthy infants (which is unlikely), you probably won't bring home a child without going through a horrible experience; you may not bring one home at all.

Sharon

[proudmommyof 2]

But just remember, it does work sometimes too. My Claire is living proof of this. And, since I realized this is a special needs forum, I'm guessing that's what you're considering. If there is a child on there you feel connected with, call the agency, and maybe come on here to ask for feedback. What could it hurt?

Just don't fall in love until you're matched-that's my only advice. Don't imagine your kitchen table with that little child sitting at it until you know....

Best wishes!

[sak9645]

Photolistings are, indeed, a good place to find a child with special needs. Many people shy away from special needs, because they aren't all that familiar with the needs and find it hard to picture a child with them in their family. But when they see a child with a special needs on a photolisting, they can come to realize that these kids are, first and foremost, kids -- deserving of a loving family, not all that much different from any other children, and absolutely perfect for them.

Sharon

[cecalo]

We used photolisting to learn about what typesd of special needs were out there and if we thought we could be good parents to a child with those conditions.

Many several of the photolisting that we looked at did not post pictures of children from countries who do not allow photolisting. They just had an illustration of a boy or girl.

[Calebsmom]

We found our daughter in a special needs international photolisting. She has been home for four months now. We were not even homestudy-ready when we found her. We had our dossier completed in three months with the help of an approved local adoption agency. The placement agency did not have offices near us: however, after the dossier was in, they were the ones we communicated the most with. They were totally ethical and honest.

[hoping2adopt1]

Is China more flexible on income requirements if a person was to adopt a child in waiting or with special needs?. I mean if you passed every other qualification, would they still consider a one income family that makes $70,000 a year before taxes?. that already has four children?.