There has been talk for months now that big changes were coming to the China adoption program, particularly with how the Shared List is handled. This post is to highlight a few of the conversations that are happening within the China adoption community, to help you navigate your own understanding of the changes and the way it affects the China adoption community.
No Hands But Ours is a comprehensive resource-focused website for almost all things China Adoption. They recently shared a view of the changes in a question and answer format featuring the four agencies that have been chosen by the China Center for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA). The four agencies that were chosen are CCAI, Gladney, Holt, and Lifeline. Each agency was given the same set of questions and the answers regarding their participation in the newly rolled out Former Shared List Program (FSL) have been summarized.
This Q & A post is actually the third in a series dedicated to furthering education and awareness about the changes. The first post was an interview with Martha Osborne, the founder of Rainbow Kids, on her perspective on the roll-out. Rainbow Kids is a well-known and respected advocacy site that will host the FSL files from all four agencies. The second post was an interview with Erin Martin, an adoptive parent and Waiting Child advocate with Gladney. Her perspective gives a great “layman’s view” of the changes, how they affect parents who are considering the China process, and how the “harder to place” children will now become more visible to prospective parents.
For another great resource in understanding the changes to the China Adoption program, check out this post written by Becky Ketarkus, an adoptive mom and advocate with Red Thread Advocates, which is another respected advocacy group focused on the China Adoption program.
These aren’t actually changes to China’s adoption program, but a new way of advocacy China is trying for some of the harder to place children in the program who have languished on the shared list. I had the first blog post on what is being called the “former shared list” program, and I have a few additional sources of info in my post including the official statement from the CCCWA as well as blog posts from other agencies.
While many people are concerned that this means China will no longer be adding files to the shared list or that in the future the China program will be restricted to only four official agencies, I don’t think that is the case. I think this is a great way to help some of the kids who have waited the longest find a family.
https://mineinchina.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/former-shared-list-files/
Thanks Kelly for the info!