CHILDREN AVAILABLE: Eighteen months and older at time of referral, with Caucasian, Asian, and Mediterranean appearances. Sibling groups available.  Photos and brief medical and developmental information provided from some regions, blind travel to other regions.  Testing for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis.  Some children will need medical and/or developmental intervention. Even healthy children may have negative-sounding medical reports.  Generally, more boys available than girls.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:  Two trips to Russia required.  First trip will be approximately one week in duration and second trip about three weeks.  On second trip, one parent may return home after about a week in country.  Accommodation with local host families or in hotels.  Coordinators, drivers and translators will be provided.  Families chaperoned and assisted comprehensively by Cradle staff throughout entire time in country.  Cultural sightseeing also offered.  Children already in the home may travel. 

LENGTH OF PROCESS:  Preparation of families’ adoption dossier takes about three months.  Families are added to the waiting list once CHAC has approved homestudy, and child referrals or first trips to meet children are generally made within three to six months after initial dossier submission, depending on child request.  May be longer for young girls. Second trip generally occurs about six to twelve weeks after first trip, depending on region and timing of submission of remainder of dossier.     

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:  Flexible, although generally there may be no more than a 45 year age difference between the adoptive mother and the child, and couples should be married for at least two years.  Single women are eligible, single men will be considered for limited regions.