WAITING CHILDREN
Children Waiting for Forever Families
WHO ARE THE WAITING CHILDREN
Waiting children are children who are already available for international adoption and are waiting for their forever families. These children are considered by the central authority in their country of origin to be difficult to place. That can be due to the child’s special needs, age or that they are part of a sibling group. Alliance for Children is committed to helping find these children a family that is best equipped to meet their needs.
https://www.rainbowkids.com/adoption-agencies/alliance-for-children
I agree to keep any photos, videos, and/or information confidential to protect children’s privacy. I agree to not to post or publicly share information without written permission. If I violate the terms of this agreement I will not be allowed to have access to AFC’s photolisting of waiting children.
Alice
Born: March 2008
Alice is a 15-year-old girl living in a Child Center in Eastern Europe. She was placed there at the age of 10, together with her 2 younger brothers. Despite a difficult childhood and neglect by her biological family, she succeeds and has a positive attitude towards life and those around her. Although the 3 children live together, they don’t have a tied bond between them and her two brothers want to be adopted by another family. Alice is in excellent physical and mental health. She is considered completely clinically healthy. Alice speaks correctly and politely to adults and answers questions meaningfully and logically. She studies English at school and shares that she finds it difficult to speak but understands grammar and can read and write a little. Alice is a radiant girl with a wonderful smile. She is inquisitive, communicative and easily comes into contact with the other children. She dreams of finishing school and taking a hairdressing course and having her own beauty studio. During school holidays, Alice enjoys her free time by going out with friends, listening to music, watching movies and playing games on her phone. She likes to draw. She goes to folk dances and takes part in many sports and cultural events organized at school and in the center. This school year, Alice is a student in the 9th grade. She attends school in the neighboring town. She likes going to school and has many friends there. Alice would love to find a loving family to call her own!
Diagnosis: None
Dylan
Born: February 2015
Dylan is an 8-year-old boy who was abandoned at the hospital and placed in a baby home in Eastern Europe. He has been with a foster family since he was 6 months old. Dylan has been experiencing delays in his neuro-psychological development. Dylan is a calm and pleasant child and well-attached to his caregivers. He responds well to them. He expresses his joy by erratically clapping his hands and making noises. When he is very close to his caregiver, like when she lifts him up to her face, he laughs and slaps her with his hands to express his joy in order to study her face. Dylan began to walk at the age of 1 year and 5 months. He is currently walking, running and climbing stairs by himself. He is showing progress in his development. He looks at the person who is talking to him, understands what he is told and carries out simple instructions. He is looking for a family who can love him and continue to help him progress.
Diagnosis: Ataxic cerebral palsy; Congenital heart malformation; Moderate neuro-psychological developmental delay
Mia
Born: March 2012
Mia is a sweet 11-year-old little girl. She lives in a small group home in Eastern Europe. She has several medical issues but is showing progress in her development. Mia can walk, run, and climb stairs by herself. Her fine motor skills are developing. She can arrange cubes, put one object into another but quickly loses interest. She can hold a pencil with three fingers and scratch within the boundaries of a sheet. She likes to hold a book and look at the pictures. Mia memorizes recurring items and activities of daily life. She recognizes familiar tunes and songs and will hum with syllables after she heard them from an adult. She knows the rooms of the baby home and can come and go without help. Now she recognizes the individual adults, with whom she has a closer contact. She is comfortable with unfamiliar people and is not afraid to initiate contact, vocalizing specific sounds. She likes to cuddle and has consistently positive affect. Mia is still unable to vocalize combination of syllables or single words, but the caregivers report that she has different sounds depending on her wants and needs. Eventually, the caregivers can recognize what she is expressing and can help her. Mia can eat by herself. She is not potty trained yet, but she is in the process of forming habits of using the toilet. Sweet Mia would love to find a special family to help her develop to her full potential!
Diagnosis: Tuberous sclerosis; SEGA; Symptomatic epilepsy; Developmental delay
Matthew
Born: January 2017
Matthew is a 6-year-old boy who lives in a group home in Eastern Europe. He was born premature and with low birth weight. He has been experiencing a number of physical problems. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to high muscle tone. Matthew is receiving physical stimulation and other supports and has made good progress. He can walk independently and his fine motor skills are improving as well. He has delays in his learning and speech skills. Matthew is a calm and pleasant child. He is well-attached to his caregivers and responds well to them. He would love to find a family to help him thrive!.
Diagnosis: Cerebral palsy; Speech delay; Strabismus
Amelia
Born: February 2010
Amelia is a 13-year-old girl living in group home for children in Eastern Europe. Amelia was taken care of by her grandmother, as both parents abandoned her and went abroad. Amelia was diagnosed with childhood autism. She has normal physical development but is delayed in neuropsychological development. She communicates with the children with whom she lives and maintains good contact with others. She is usually in a good mood. Amelia lacks speech, makes certain sounds and uses facial expressions and gestures. She began calling caregivers by name and repeating fragmentary words. Amelia has self-care skills - she eats independently, dresses and undresses herself, arranges her belongings with the help of an educator and makes her bed herself. She has also started bathing herself. She combs her hair with a brush or comb and dries it with a hair dryer. She tries to clean her room by herself. Participates in cleaning the study room and is doing very well. Amelia would love to be a part of a loving, forever family!
Diagnosis: Hyperactivity disorder; Mental disability; Childhood autism.
Gianna
Born: April 2016
Gianna is 7 years old and lives in a baby home in Eastern Europe. She was born with complications and had to recover from Hepatitis caused by CMV. Gianna sits steadily and stands up with support. She walks around a fixed support and with a walker. She grabs the toys that are given to her and looks at them with interest. She enjoys laughing when teased in contact with adults. She is smiling most of the time! Gianna reacts emotionally when she is in contact with other children. She loves to be with them and to play. Gianna is fully serviced by the staff. She is spoon-fed, gains weight well and sleeps peacefully. Gianna is a warm and cuddly little girl. She knows how to charm her caregivers and receives lots of attention. She would love to have a family of her own to charm!.
Diagnosis: Symptomatic Epilepsy, Congenital dyseritropoetic anemia; Neuro-psychological developmental delays
Asher
Born: August 2017
Asher lives in an orphanage in Eastern Europe. He is in good overall health, doing well with his VSP (shunt). He has made progress in his motor skills in the last year. He is already turning from back to front on his own. He receives a daily massage by a rehabilitator. Asher is a calm boy who sleeps well. He wants and seeks attention and is most happy when being touched or held. He is positive, smiling and laughing all the time! He laughs loudly when teased by his caregivers. Asher is given purees food. He is fed by an adult caregiver, has a good appetite and eats well. His caregivers believe that if he gets personal attention and love from a family, he has good potential to make progress in his physical and mental development.
Diagnosis: Hydrocephaly - VSP; Heart issues; Developmental delay
ADOPTION QUESTIONS
FROM WHICH COUNTRIES ARE THE WAITING CHILDREN?
We may receive information on waiting children from any of the countries in which we work.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ADOPT A WAITING CHILD?
The process to adopt a waiting child is typically faster than adopting a child through the traditional path. That is because these children are already available to be adopted, and the central authorities are looking to place them as soon as possible.
WHAT IF I DON'T MEET THE COUNTRY'S ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS?
Occasionally, there may be some flexibility in a country’s eligibility requirements for waiting children.
WHAT ARE THE NEEDS OF WAITING CHILDREN?
We have seen children with a wide range of special needs, from very mild to children needing lifelong care. Some of the special needs are correctable with a surgery. Sometimes the child is considered difficult to place due to being older, and sometimes sibling groups that include other children are available.