Many families, when faced with several wonderful options and opportunities to adopt, often ask our staff how they should make the decision of where to adopt their child from. Sunny Ridge believes there are several issues you need to seriously consider. Once you have the answers to these questions, you will know which options are best for you. Those issues are:
1. What is the age of the child I wish to adopt?
2. Do I have a gender preference?
3. What ethnicity would I welcome to our family?
4. What are the health issues of countries I am considering?
1. The Age of the Child
 The International Adoption program at Sunny Ridge has placed children from between 6 months up to 16 years of age. Most families want to adopt an infant or toddler, but many older children are also available. Of children placed, approximately 60 percent are 12 months of age and under. The term "infant" in international adoptions usually refers to a child 12 months of age or younger. There are different challenges when adopting an older child. It's important to educate yourself about the transition issues related to the age of the child you wish to adopt. If you are considering placement of a toddler, we recommend reading Toddler Adoption: The Weavers Craft by Mary Hopkins Best. For those considering the placement of an
 older child, we recommend Adopting the Older Child by Claudia Jewett. Different countries may have different ages of children available for adoption. Countries who may have younger children available are Russia, Kazakhstan, Colombia, China, Philippines, India and Guatemala (although older children may also be available upon request). Countries where only toddler or older children may be available include Ukraine, Bulgaria, Peru and Poland.
2. The Gender of the Child
Generally, boys are more readily available for adoption than girls. In some countries, the process may take considerably longer if you wish to adopt a female child. In Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, and Latin America, both girls and boys are available. In China, the majority of children placed are female. Some countries, such as the Philippines, may require you to not state a gender preference, meaning you would need to be open to a child of either gender. Sometimes, depending on the part of the world, such as China, there will more likely be one gender or another available.
3. The Ethnicity of the Child
The ethnicity of the child is a very important consideration when deciding what country you want to adopt from. Many are children of color in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Caucasian children are being adopted from Eastern Europe. Your child may not look like you. It is important for you to prepare yourself to raise a child of a different ethnicity, and be able to teach your child a true appreciation of his or her heritage. You must also share that appreciation. If you can not enthusiastically embrace your child's home country, do not choose to adopt a child from that country. Some issues relative to ethnicity that need to be addressed are:
- Acceptance by others: not all will be accepting of your child.What will be your extended family's response? What is your neighborhood like? Is there diversity present? Who will be your child's role models?
- Do you have diversity among your friends?
4. The Health of the Child
Most all families request a healthy child. However, you must remember that in International Adoptions children have faced health issues relative to poverty and the fact that biological parents and institutions could not provide for their needs. Children do not leave orphanages unscathed. Most children will be developmentally delayed and benefit from participation in early intervention programs upon arrival in their new homes.Some countries such as China, Korea, and Guatemala, provide more medical information then other countries. Many children from Guatemala reside in foster care placements rather then institutions. Medical reports and records from Russia and Eastern Europe can be especially confusing to those not trained in international adoptions. Children referred from Russia should be evaluated for fetal alcohol syndrome/effect. The good news is that there are excellent resources and physicians with international expertise available for review of medical records. These resources should be used to minimize risks. There are many children available throughout the world with identified medical needs, many of which might be relatively minor and medically correctable. These placements are referred to as "Special Needs Placements" or possibly, "Waiting Children."Once you have carefully thought about these four issues, the choices in your decision-making process will be much clearer. All of these issues are discussed at greater length during our free International Information Meetings and Home Study process with your Sunny Ridge International Adoption Social Worker.
Overview of all countries
Adoption Services at Sunny Ridge brochure
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