It’s not up on the State Department’s page yet, but here are the numbers from a Google AP article:
Countries providing the most children adopted by Americans during the 2007 fiscal year, according to preliminary figures from the State Department. Figures from 2006 are in parentheses:
China 5,453 (6,493)
Guatemala 4,728 (4,135)
Russia 2,310 (3,706)
Ethiopia 1,255 (732)
South Korea 939 (1,376)
Vietnam 626 (163)
Ukraine 606 (460)
Kazakhstan 540 (587)
India 416 (320)
Liberia 314 (353)
Taiwan 311 (187)
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December 2nd, 2007 at 11:03 am
Overall there were 1014 less adoptions in 2007 than 2006.
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:15 am
I should say that I will be doing an analysis on these numbers, just don’t have time this morning.
December 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I charted the yearly numbers back to 2001 on my website. To see the chart click on the latest news section of my website below.
http://babygraceking.home.comcast.net/
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Thanks RQ..very interesting, but sad. The numbers say it all for me regarding the China program…I wonder how many of the total numbers are SN vs NSN…is there anyway to know? I think it looks like its getting close to being equal in numbers…I know you may have commented on this before.
Thanks again. CTG
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Doesn’t it keep coming up that China doesn’t want to have the largest number of children? That means at least by US numbers they still have to drop by about another 1000. I wonder if there are numbers like these for other countries that adopt from China, and if China has the largest number of children adopted in every other country?
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Is this surprising, though? When we adopted our daughter 3 1/2 years ago, I think CCAA worked with only a handful of countries. Since then, they’ve opened up to many more without raising the number of children referred, so it makes sense that the US is seeing fewer children coming from China. And even though it looks as if China is the biggest, given their population, they’re really putting so very few of their children into the international program.
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I am really interested in how much these other countries have grown their IA programs.
December 2nd, 2007 at 5:49 pm
How does this compare to National adoption numbers? In NZ there are about 200 adoptions a year in total! Including IA! so the numbers are really interesting!
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:35 pm
The bigger number to consider is the number of children over 1 years old at adoption verse under 1 year. The drop in children over 1 years old last year accounted for virtually all the drop in numbers for that year (1500). This will let us know the real rate of abandonment.
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:33 pm
We adopted SN’s and I would also be interested to know what proportion of those visas are for SN’s. I don’t think you could find that out.
At one time Russia was the country on top.
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Kingspan’s numbers make it look very much like a planned and orchastrated decrease… Hmmm. N
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I just added another chart to my website with data for the top 9 countries by year since 1991. Just click latest news on the site below
http://babygraceking.home.comcast.net/
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:53 pm
china dad- It would seem that the opposite would be true. Assuming there are less abandoned children, the number of children over one year old would be higher, not lower.
I never really understood how there could be less abandoned children, yet most children referred are within the 9-10 month old range, or younger, these days. When we adopted our first daughter, a year and a half ago, the majority of the children referred were 14-18 months old. It doesn’t seem to fit the theory that China is giving us, that there are less abandoned children. It would seem that all those babies being placed in the orphanages when my daughter was adopted, would now be 14-18 months old, and adoptable now.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:46 am
Interesting point KarenInCa. I always assumed the young referrals coming out DID indicate a drop in abandonments (or the CCAA’s desire to make it look that way at least). To me it looked like the CCAA was saying there are fewer abandonments but we are referring those who are as quickly as possible.
I for one do think that there are fewer abandonments, but not nearly enough to make this drastic a difference in the IA program. As Natalie says, I think this looks like a calculated decrease.
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:18 am
And… so what if it is? It still doesn’t change the bottom line - they are referring out less NSN every year, and will continue to do so. At the pace THEY choose, regardless of number in line.
And as CCAA has said before, if you are not patient enough to wait, then perhaps this program isn’t for you. Continually tearing China down in an attempt to find out the “real” reason is not only a waste of time, but what does it say to our kids?
China is not “keeping us” from our children. We want one of THEIR children, and I am extremely grateful I have the opportunity to do that.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:35 am
As hhbaby2 points out, focusing exclusively on U.S. numbers doesn’t give us the whole picture. Maybe we U.S. families are just getting a smaller share of referrals but the number of babies referred worldwide has remained constant?
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Sherry in Vermont - reguardless of semantics, delays & unmatched children means a child is missing out on a “forever family”. Grateful as you may be…for me, this is very sad.
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Sherry in Vermont …oh, and …what does it say to our kids?
Do tell.
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Latest update from CCAA web site:
The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before September 30, 2006.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before December 8, 2005.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:20 pm
KarenInCa
My belief is similar the post by east and west. Fewer children (lower abandonment rates and an increase in domestic adoption) that are available are being placed before they turn 1.
As a result, The older children over 1 selected for IA as you mentioned (our daughter was 15 months when received) are just not there to the historical numbers - they have been placed as shown from data from RQ a month ago or so - thus the drop in total numbers.
Also, as the typical Chinese family would not want to adopt a toddler that further reduces the number of available under one years olds.
Calculated reduction or not, in reality we really don’t know. I want to believe and hope that abandonment is lower - No child is available for IA without someone’s pain, anguish and poverty - much more so than our western pain of slow referrals.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Hi All Question, what is the average age requested from China?
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Sherry in Vermont, I agree with you.
It’s, of course, tragic that there are orphans in the world. But adopting out orphans internationally is very serious business (with lives literally at stake), and I can fully appreciate a government moving at a pace they are comfortable with regardless of international demand and pressure.
China has arguably the best IA program in the world, but they are being heavily scrutinized because they are not meeting international demand for their babies.
If the true concern is for orphans being left without “forever families” there a lot of governments doing a far worse job than China at fostering and placing their orphans.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:51 pm
arw - and what if the slow down is not due to careful review, but rather a bureaucratic quota? How does that change things for you?
In addition I don’t see how pointing out that other countries do a worse job makes the life of an orphan in China the least amount better.
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
And what if the idea that China must reduce its numbers of children adopted through IA is simply a mirror of what is going on in the West? I know for sure that in my own country, there are children languishing not in orphanages but in foster care through out their lives, ruining their chances of ever having a normal life. So if China wants to appear powerful, they will not want to adopt their children through IA.
At another thread there is a discussion of Unicef and their anti-adoption lobbying. Anti-adoption lobbyists, from Unicef and other organisations, have been very successful spreading their attitude world wide. And as someone brought up elsewhere, if China is lowering its ceiling, this could well be the result of anti-IA adoption sentiments spreading.
I also do not think it is very fruitful to blame China for reasons that we know very little about. Personally, I feel very bad every time we get into China-bashing or CCAA-bashing on this blog. I think it is necessary to analyze what is happening in a larger context.
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Is the Rumor Queen out there today–not a single rumor.
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:22 pm
anybody wantto interpet the betwen thelines meaning of the new notice posted on the CCAA site today?
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:00 pm
P-12 If bureaucratic quotas are needed to dissuade orphanage directors from buying babies in order to meet international demand (as they have done) and to facilitate the adoption of more orphans by Chinese families, I’m OK with that. No, it would not change things for me.
p12, I agree with you that pointing out that other countries do a worse job than China does not make life for an orphan in China any better. But if one’s sole concern is the general welfare of orphans, why scrutinize and vilify China when, unlike most countries, they have a centralized program in place to foster and place their orphans?
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Sherry in Vermont-
I am not sure who you perceived to be “tearing down” China. If it was me, that was not my intention at all. One can certainly think that China is intentionally decreasing the children made available for adoption AND love and respect a child’s birth country.
I think most of us here feel the same gratitude toward China that you express for the great gift of our children. I do. But I think it is human nature to try and figure out the reason for the slow place so we can figure out when we may be united with our children. I don’t see that as disrespectful to China
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:53 pm
P12 - If by quota, you mean controls nessacary to dissuade orphanage directors from buying babies to meet international demand (as has happened) I’m all for it. No, it does not change things for me.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:22 pm
skittles - What new notice???
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Anti adoption groups are indeed making an impact on
IA. I know of several people who have experienced this
directly with UNICEF while living in Guatemala.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:12 pm
skittles-
Are you talking about the 11/29 notice? That is actually from 2005 :)
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Pardon me skittles. I didn’t see the message when I logged in earlier, but yes there is new message called “Internet Operational System Formally Initiated”. Is this the pay for information system the CCAA was talking about months ago??
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:20 pm
i’m just confused about WHERE the rumors are…. shouldn’t we have referrals, like, NOW??
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:55 pm
krj- I feel like we should have seen rumors a week ago! It’s December 3! Where and the heck are they?!?!
Wendy
LID 12/27/05
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Spoke to my agency and they expect them tomorrow. We live on the east coast.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:06 am
It’s december third statement but not dated on the home page. National training for Social welfare dierctors. Lots of welfaer health issiues a side comment about facilitating adoption paperwork. The line that caught my eye was “The relavant leaders of the Ministry of civil affairs attended the training with HIGH ATTENTION” New Congress and new agenda’s I think this is a stay tuned thing.
December 4th, 2007 at 10:19 am
I am curious, does anyone know the number of United States Domestic adoptions for the last couple of years?
December 4th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Each state should have an online photolisting of SN and NSN kids, as well as info on yearly domestic adoptions for that state. Here is Illinois:
http://www.adoptuskids.org/states/aici/browse.aspx
December 4th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Out of curiosity