In December of 2006, Spence-Chapin made a trip to Ethiopia to begin the process to become a non-governmental organization (NGO) to place children from Ethiopia with US citizens. This process typically takes about a year. Spence-Chapin currently has developed a network with Children's Home Society and Family Services (CHSFS) to help place children from Ethiopia with families in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. Working together these two agencies provide the full range of services to adoptive families seeking to adopt from Ethiopia pre and post adoption.

Infants one month and older (families adopting infants must be open to a child 0-12 months old at referral) are available. Children will arrive home at 5 months and older. Toddlers, school-aged children, and sibling groups are available as well. Children awaiting international placement, will reside in a care center and upon arrival, will undergo a thorough physical examination by a pediatrician including blood tests for HIV, Hepatitis B, and other basic illnesses.

Program Requirements and Specifics:

• Married couples and single women ages 25-50 may apply for a healthy infant.
• Couples must be married at least one year at the time the dossier is sent to Ethiopia.
• Applicants must be in good health and with the financial resources to care for a child.
• Families must be open to the gender of the child for their first adoption.

From Referral to Homecoming

Once families have completed their home study process with Spence-Chapin, applied directly to CHSFS Ethiopia Program and submitted their dossier, they are ready to receive a referral. The wait for a referral is typically 5-9 months. Once the referral has been accepted there is approximately 2-4 months until travel. The Ethiopian government reviews a family's dossier alongside the child's referral paperwork before issuing its approval and granting the adoption through the court.

Families make one trip of about one week to Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Families will stay at the CHSFS Guest House and share family style meals with other families during their stay. Parents receiving infants may be placed immediately with their child whereas parents receiving toddlers and older children may wish to visit the care center for a few days to establish a level of comfort prior to placement. For families where there is a documented hardship, an escort option may be available.

Fees and Costs:

Spence-Chapin has a sliding fee for the services provided by the agency, based on the applicants adjusted gross income. The Ethiopia program fee is $8,100 (for single child adoption) and covers the following: child identification expenses; medical expenses; translation of documents; registration fees; childcare expenses; representative and caregiver salaries; legal fees and document processing; humanitarian aid and program development; child's medical exam required for the U.S. visa; and child's U.S. visa. In addition, there is an incountry expense charge of $600 which includes lodging, meals transportation and the child's life book while in country. Parents should also expect expenses of $2,000-$5,400 for travel to Ethiopia. The escort option is $2,200.

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For more information about any of Spence-Chapin's international adoption programs, you are invited to attend a free information session. We look forward to seeing you there!