When traveling in a new land, it helps to know the lingo. As we have found ourselves immersed in the adoption culture, we have learned a new language of sorts. A prime example is my posting of this picture of our original dossier documents ready to mail:
On my timeline, I explained what it meant. In my agency’s adoption group, I simply stated what it was. And on my timeline, lots of congratulations! In the group, it launched a full back-and-forth discussion full of lingo. A cultural coming together. One of my comments read: “I love chatting with people who are in the adoption culture. It's like not having to explain a foreign language!” One definite blessing of the internet during this process!
For those of you who are traveling this road with me but occasionally feel like you are reading a foreign language, I want to explain what some of the "road signs" mean.
#1 - An alias. You know our little girl as Sibyl, but that is not actually her real (or legal) name! All of the children available for adoption are given an English alias to protect their identity during the process. Yes, we do know her legal name. No, we cannot post that name online. Yes, we are going to change her legal (Chinese) name. We will be posting her new name online along with her picture once we receive LOA.
#2 - Placing Agency. This is the agency that has our child’s file. There are two ways to find a match in China, through the general CCCWA list that is open to ALL agencies or through an agency-specific list. Sibyl’s file was assigned to AAC, and they are our placing agency doing the majority of the adoption work with us.
#3 - Home Study Agency. Sometimes, if you want to pursue a specific child through a specific agency, that agency is not licensed to do a home study in your state. That is what happened for us. AAC is in Colorado, so we selected another adoption agency that is licensed in California to do our home study. They will also conduct our post-adoption visits.
#4 - Dossier. The collection of paperwork that is sent to China. It represents hours and hours of work, a fair bit of money, and a rather in-depth look at our private lives. This is processed by our placing agency.
#5 - Home Study. This is a screening of the home and life of prospective adoptive parents prior to allowing an adoption to take place. It is compiled by our home study agency and includes several home visits.
#6- CCCWA. China Center for Children’s Welfare & Adoption. They are the ones who approve us to adopt Sibyl!
#7 - LID. Log-In Date for the Dossier into the CCCWA system.
#8 - LOA. Letter of Acceptance, also known as the Letter Seeking Confirmation. This is the letter sent after our referral acceptance has been processed. China uses this to ask you one more time to confirm that you want to adopt your referred child (um, yes, please!!!).
#9 - TA. Travel Approval. This is official notice from the CCCWA that we are invited to come to China to get Sibyl!
These cover the main terms that you will see popping up in my blogs. Welcome to the language of Chinese adoption!
On my timeline, I explained what it meant. In my agency’s adoption group, I simply stated what it was. And on my timeline, lots of congratulations! In the group, it launched a full back-and-forth discussion full of lingo. A cultural coming together. One of my comments read: “I love chatting with people who are in the adoption culture. It's like not having to explain a foreign language!” One definite blessing of the internet during this process!
For those of you who are traveling this road with me but occasionally feel like you are reading a foreign language, I want to explain what some of the "road signs" mean.
#1 - An alias. You know our little girl as Sibyl, but that is not actually her real (or legal) name! All of the children available for adoption are given an English alias to protect their identity during the process. Yes, we do know her legal name. No, we cannot post that name online. Yes, we are going to change her legal (Chinese) name. We will be posting her new name online along with her picture once we receive LOA.
#2 - Placing Agency. This is the agency that has our child’s file. There are two ways to find a match in China, through the general CCCWA list that is open to ALL agencies or through an agency-specific list. Sibyl’s file was assigned to AAC, and they are our placing agency doing the majority of the adoption work with us.
#3 - Home Study Agency. Sometimes, if you want to pursue a specific child through a specific agency, that agency is not licensed to do a home study in your state. That is what happened for us. AAC is in Colorado, so we selected another adoption agency that is licensed in California to do our home study. They will also conduct our post-adoption visits.
#4 - Dossier. The collection of paperwork that is sent to China. It represents hours and hours of work, a fair bit of money, and a rather in-depth look at our private lives. This is processed by our placing agency.
#5 - Home Study. This is a screening of the home and life of prospective adoptive parents prior to allowing an adoption to take place. It is compiled by our home study agency and includes several home visits.
#6- CCCWA. China Center for Children’s Welfare & Adoption. They are the ones who approve us to adopt Sibyl!
#7 - LID. Log-In Date for the Dossier into the CCCWA system.
#8 - LOA. Letter of Acceptance, also known as the Letter Seeking Confirmation. This is the letter sent after our referral acceptance has been processed. China uses this to ask you one more time to confirm that you want to adopt your referred child (um, yes, please!!!).
#9 - TA. Travel Approval. This is official notice from the CCCWA that we are invited to come to China to get Sibyl!
These cover the main terms that you will see popping up in my blogs. Welcome to the language of Chinese adoption!
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