Age limit for adoption?

We are a middle-aged British expatriate couple. What is the maximum age one can attain before one is not permitted to adopt in Hong Kong and the Mainland? Our own children have grown up and moved away so we are not novices. Alternatively, is fostering a realistic option?

I have the information from 2 yrs ago from Social Services HK. Inter country adoption information says, "Applicants over 45 yrs old. to adopt older child, 5 yrs and up or siblings or special needs".

International Cocial Service HK Branch Tel: 2834-6863

www.isshk.org


HK Adoption I think may be the same., It just says both applicants must be over 25 yrs. The number for local adoption is 2852-3107. They are very helpful.

It also mentions Intercountry adoption can be long, complicated and expensive.

Many thanks missdj but it was the upper age limit we are more concerned about. We are well past 45 years of age and financially secure. Is there an upper age limit when adoption becomes unacceptable by the relevant authorities. I thought the mainland might have a more relaxed attitude than those in Hong Kong.

The best thing to do is contact the Hong Kong Adoption Unit for more information. It is part of the Welfare Department. China recently changed conditions for adopting from the Mainland and it is now very difficult for older people to adopt from there. From your last posting I thing you are outside of their age limit guidelines. Hong Kong does not seem to have a set upper age limit but have other criteria they follow. I adopted a six month old baby girl in Hong Kong when I was 49 years old. There is a minimum time that you must have lived in Hong Kong before you can adopt. I do not remember whether it is 18 months or two years.

It's been changed to one year now.

We have lived in Hong Kong for most of our lives and are financially secure, albeit not rich, so that qualification is not an obstacle. We recognise that a Chinese child or children should ideally be raised in a multi-lingual household, with a Chinese education, and we are prepared for all that that entails. However, If age is a barrier then I guess we'll have to give up all thoughts of adoption. It just seems that if a child or children can be offered a better life than that child might otherwise have being brought up in an orphanage (do such things still exist long term?), what is there to lose?

Hi Hercules,

I'd say go for it. We are in the final stages of the adoption process and waiting to be matched. We're not in the same age bracket, we're early 40s, but there was a couple at our adoption workshop who were late 50s, early 60s. From talking with our assigned social worker there are children awaiting adoption in orphanages, particularly older, some with special needs. Bear in mind that the label "special needs" is maybe somewhat different than your home country. Complicated family background (particulary with mental health issues in the extended family), abandonement, cleft lip, birth marks etc are all termed special needs. Our social worker also told us that it takes longer to place older children. It seems that many are finally adopted through international adotion agencies , but the children can spend years being cared for at orphanages/agencies. Just my two cents worth... I'd give the social welfare a ring and get them to send you the initial adoption application form. I would also make a note on it that you would be willing to adopt an older child (of course, if you open to that)....best of luck...the child will be a lucky child indeed..to join a loving family....or be raised in an institution....no contest!...gook luck..Megan

Many thanks for all the advice. We've given up trying as the obstacles are too difficult to overcome. We feel we are too old to take on a special needs children and won't be physically strong enough to meet the demands as the children as they get older and bigger and their needs becoming more demanding. Adopting an older child, even if permitted, is likely to result in communication problems and, if already classified as a "difficult" child, could cause us more stress than we could handle. Thanks once again.