International Waiting Children

WAITING CHILDREN ARE PLACED THROUGH SPENCE-CHAPIN'S INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION PROGRAM, which has always sought to find homes for children considered hard to place.  The agency is proud to continue that tradition.  Since waiting children are identified as ready for placement, the adoption process is often able to move more quickly than with traditional adoptions.  Spence-Chapin staff works with prospective adoptive parents, our overseas representatives and governmental bodies to expedite the adoptions of waiting children whenever possible.

Waiting children are kids that have been identified in their birth country as ready and available for adoptive placement outside of the regular adoption system due to a variety of reasons.  Children available for adoption might include those who are: older than typical age for a particular country program; part of a sibling group, or diagnosed with an identified medical, emotional or developmental condition.  Often, these conditions are treatable with appropriate medical care after arrival in the U.S.  Other waiting children may have special needs or be at risk for minor to significant challenges that could require long-term attention.  For all children, the opportunities provided by a loving family help them to reach their fullest potential.

As you begin the process of building your family through adoption, we encourage you to consider adopting a waiting child.  Families interested in adopting waiting children through international adoption are encouraged to apply to Spence-Chapin during the early stages of their home study and adoption process.  If you are already a Spence-Chapin family, please speak with your social worker to obtain information about waiting children available for adoption.  In addition, families who already have completed and approved home studies with another agency may contact us to be considered for children listed on this page.

In addition to Spence-Chapin's other adoption programs, we are currently working to place identified waiting children from Colombia, China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Children awaiting adoption in Colombia are sibling groups of three or more with one child generally over the age of 7, children with developmental or medical conditions and older children who are over the age of 12.  Many of these children have also experienced abuse and/or neglect before arriving at the orphanage and are in need of loving families who can help them to reach they greatest potential.  Referrals of children available for adoption in these categories tend to move quickly and can be discussed with families who have approved home studies.

Families wanting to adopt waiting children must also have a completed home study and meet the eligibility requirements of their state of residence, USCIS and the child's country of origins before being considered for a child referral.

The following children are awaiting adoption.

From Colombia

From Congo

From Russia

In addition to the children mentioned above, Spence-Chapin is also currently seeking adoptive homes for infants through our Domestic Special Needs Adoption Program (ASAP).  To view the list of waiting babies available for domestic adoption, please click here.