Families in China are bound by a family planning policy that restricts families to one or two children. Additionally, the cultural desire for a son remains strong especially in rural regions, since sons are responsible for caring for their parents in old age and carrying on the family name. Birth parents confront this difficult situation by leaving their child in a safe place, with the intention that a loving family will be found for the child. For many families, this seems to be the only real choice.

In some cases, to overcome this difficult situation, birth parents will leave their babies in safe public places where the babies will be found quickly, with the intention that these children will be cared for and will face a better future.  For many birth parents this seems to be the only viable choice, as violating China's one-child policy can mean serious penalties including steep fines.  

Children being adopted from China come from many orphanages all over the country but most of the orphanages working with the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) in international adoption are located in south-central China. Our overall experience with these orphanages has been positive. Most are simple but clean, and the caregivers do their best to provide good basic care for the children. In some cases, children are cared for by foster families in the surrounding community.

Most of the children waiting for adoption in China are:

• infant girls with no known medical needs, between 7 months and 12 months of age at matching time.
  
• toddlers through children in their early teens with known special needs.  For further details, click on CHSFS Waiting International Children Program.