CHILDREN AVAILABLE: Twelve 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 mandatory trips to Russia.  First trip will be approximately one week in duration and second trip about two to 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 are generally made within four months, depending on child request. May be longer for healthy girls under twelve months of age.  Parents make first trip about four to six weeks after dossier is sent to Russia, which occurs only after acceptance of a child referral.  Second trip occurs about four to twelve weeks later.       

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 have been married for at least two years.  Single women are eligible, single men will be considered.