New approach reaps dividends for orphans

A charity in a northeastern suburb of Beijing which uses an inclusive approach to prepare orphans with congenital disabilities for adoption said the practice has begun to reap sustainable rewards.

At the Beijing Chunmiao Children’s Base in Shunyi district, children waiting to be adopted do not call their caregivers “teacher” as in most orphanages in China. Instead, they are divided into groups of six, which are known as “families”, and each family is allocated a volunteer couple to act as the parents. The children refer to each other as “siblings”.

Some experts have said that orphanages in China often face challenges, such as overcrowding and low levels of staffing which can sometimes result in the children’s psychological development being overlooked.

Moreover troubled circumstances can mean children have difficulty assimilating.

“Most orphans spend their childhoods in orphanages which are relatively isolated from society. That makes it hard for them to integrate into family life, which can result in failed adoptions,” said Sun Ying, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing Chunmiao Children’s Aid Foundation, which funds the base, adding that it means many children find it hard to develop social lives as adults.

Moreover, the older the child, the harder it is to find adoptive parents for them. The situation is worse for those with disabilities, according to Sun.

“It becomes harder for orphans to be adopted after they reach age 4, and Chinese adoption law forbids adoption of children older than 14,” she said.

The foundation was established in 2010 to help orphans with congenital conditions, such as cleft lip, Down syndrome and heart disease.

To provide help, the foundation set up the care center in Beijing and has partnered with more than 80 orphanages nationwide to provide advice about medical care along with programs designed to help the children establish social relations.

Based on the children’s needs, the center initiated a number of programs for different age groups — including the “Little Flower Project” for children younger than 3 and the “Little Tree Project” for older children.

Premature infants and those with complex medical needs are incorporated into the Little Flower Project, where they receive intensive attention from social workers who have received basic medical training to reduce the chances of hypothermia and lessen the risk of premature death.

Older children benefit from the Little Tree Project, which aims to help them develop social skills and forge relationships with others.

In addition to dividing the children into “families” and allocating “parents” and “siblings”, the project’s organizers also invite volunteers from different walks of life to talk to the children so they will be better prepared when they enter society.

So far, more than 3,500 orphans have benefited from the two projects, according to the foundation, which said the average adoption rate for children ages 4 to 14 in its partner orphanages is higher than 95 percent. The foundation is trying to widen its coverage and encourage other groups to adopt its methods.

“When Chunmiao’s practice expands, more nongovernmental organizations will be involved to provide services in the sector and more children will benefit,” Sun said.