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FAQ’s

Q:|How do I adopt a child?
A:|Once you have decided to adopt, one of the first steps will be to complete a family profile and optionally select an adoption agency who will guide you through the process.  Please see Adoption Process for a list of the steps.

Q:|What is the role of Chances for Children - are you an adoption agency?
A:| We are not an adoption agency. The role of Chances for Children is to provide financial support for orphanages and schools in Haiti and to raise awareness of the orphan problem in Haiti. We operate our crèche in Haiti and work with adoption agencies in the U.S. to place the children in adoptive families. Adoption from Haiti by Canadian families work a little differently and some can work with C4C while others can’t. Please contact us for more information if you are a prospective adoptive family in Canada.

Q:|Can we adopt more than one child at a time? Does it cost less?
A:| Upon approval, you may adopt more than one child at a time. Because each child’s file and care must be handled individually, there is no lower cost for adopting more than one child. As it is, the care of the children in the orphanage is so costly that it is already subsidized by Chances for Children donors.

Q:|Do you have sibling groups?A:|We do have sibling groups. As much as possible we try to keep sibling groups together.

Q:|How long does it take to adopt a child from Haiti?
A:|The length of a wait for a child from Haiti is usually between 16-24 months from the time the dossier is sent to Haiti. It is difficult to predict the exact length of each stage of the legal process. The length of time necessary for legal processing in Haiti varies due to bureaucratic procedures, changes in laws, political stability, etc.  Additionally, few new adoptions have occurred since the 2010 earthquake, so it is difficult to gauge an estimate at this time, but 16-24 months is a realistic and conservative estimate.

Q:|What are the ages of the children under C4C care ?
A:| We admit children who are eligible for adoption into our care. Most are under the age of six, with the younger children being about 12 months old. Toddlers (3 and under) are typically most available for adoption. However, we are often approached by community members who want to place children of varying ages in our creche.

Q:|What is the medical history of the children at the Crèche - and will we have access to this information?
A:|Each child that comes to the Crèche for adoption is screened for major illnesses through examination by a Haitian Pediatrician and also through lab tests.  The children are also given psychological exams with the purpose of pinpointing any possible developmental delays areas that the child may have at admission.
Each child is tested for:  HIV, Sickle Cell Anemia, Hepatitis B, VDRL/RPR (Syphilis), tuberculosis and is given a Complete Blood Count (CBC).

 Q:|How much does it cost to adopt?
A:|Fees vary by country program (travel costs, in-country fees, document processing). The average cost to adopt from Haiti is between $15,000 and $24,000. See Fees. 

Q:|Do we need to travel out of country to pick up our child after all paperwork is processed?
A:|Except for rare occasions, you will need to travel to Haiti to pick up your child. Families should plan on spending five to six days in Haiti for an appropriate transition time. This allows the child to get comfortable with his/her new family in a setting that is familiar to him/her. Additionally, families are expected to file paperwork at two other times during the process. One of the trips is to file the USCIS I-600 form at the U.S. Embassy once the child has been identified. The second is to appear in family court once the file has been approved by Haitian Social Services (but before the process can continue to the next steps).

Q:|What can I expect in terms of development for my adopted child?
A:|Haitian babies often have developmentall delays when compared with North American babies of the same age.  Much of this is due to environmental and cultural circumstances and most of the time it is reversed soon after arriving in North America.  Many infants are discouraged from standing or crawling by their mothers due to poor living conditions. Most Haitian children crawl between 9 and 12 months and walk between 13 to 17 months. After a child arrives in their adoptive homes, they start advancing quickly and usually have caught up with their North American playmates within 6 months.

Q:|Do you allow independent adoptions or must I choose an adoption agency?
A:|We are no longer able to facilitate independent adoptions as this is against the Standards of Practice Guideline that was accepted by Creche Directors and JCICS in Haiti. We encourage you to work through an adoption agency that can guide you through the steps of the very detailed and sometimes complicated international adoption process.

Q:|How do I get started if I want to adopt?
A:| Simply contact us by phone 480-513-3373 or email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or complete the Family Profile and send it to us. We will gladly help you get started and since our staff consists of adoptive parents, we can answer many of your first questions.

Q:|Is Chances for Children  tax exempt?
A:|Yes, we are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity.

Q:|How can I donate to Chances for Children?
A:|There are many ways to donate. Visit Contribute to learn more.