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Compare Us With Small or Local Agencies

With a small agency you do not necessarily get more personalized service. Great Wall is organized so that families continue to receive the most personal service possible no matter how many adoptions we complete. With a smaller agency, families may end up sacrificing having bi-lingual staff and the full range of options you would receive with agencies such as Great Wall.

  Great Wall Advantages

Great Wall

 Small/Local Agencies
China Only Program Great Wall only works with China, and we communicate with the Chinese government daily. We are the first to receive information from China, and the first to inform our families. Our expertise is the result of years of experience with China's adoption program. Great Wall staff receive China adoption education and training continually, and have traveled to China to gain a better understanding of the adoption experience. This is why Great Wall is often modeled by our peers in international adoption. Not available; small/local agencies don't have the staff or expertise to specialize in China's adoption program. The Chinese government has also refused to accept dossiers from agencies who submit less than twenty a year. Your best bet is to choose an expert in Chinese adoption.
Structure   Our organization is structured strategically, allowing us to meet challenges, and offer our families efficient and specialized services. Most important, Great Wall only places children from China. This is why we are the trusted leader and expert in Chinese adoption. Our peers have modeled Great Wall's service standards and practices. Most small/local agencies have a simple structure with few staff to work with families. Small agencies do not specialize in Chinese adoption.
Executives Snow Wu, President of Great Wall, was born and raised in China. Snow is not only an active leader of Great Wall; she is a leader of Chinese adoption in general. Snow dedicates her time to advocacy work on behalf of families and children. She travels to Washington D.C. and China several times a year to work with both the U.S. and Chinese governments. Snow's dedication has led her to win the recognition and respect of leaders in both countries. Her constant advocacy for Chinese adoption has been of tremendous benefit to our families. Since most small/local agencies do not specialize in Chinese adoption, their directors are not from China, and have no expertise in china, nor have ever met Chinese adoption officials. Information must pass though layers of language and culture to find interpretation, decreasing their ability to effectively advocate for families.
Approved by the Chinese government Since 1996, Great Wall has been approved by the Chinese government to place children from China. Great Wall has successfully placed more than 5,000 children with loving American parents. We have never "lost" a family's dossier, we have never compromised our standard of excellence, and we have always been in good standing with the CCAA. Many small/local agencies are not approved by the Chinese government (CCAA) to facilitate adoptions directly. These agencies are actually adoption brokers, submitting dossiers to a third party in China, who then submits them to the CCAA. If a problem arises with your dossier, these agencies cannot help you because they are not approved by the CCAA.
Staff Since Great Wall only works with China, our staff are experts in China's requirements and process. In addition, our teams of staff specialize in each phase of your adoption. This allows us to focus on your particular needs, so that you have expert help when you need it. Great Wall's staff members hold bachelor and master degrees in social work, psychology, sociology, communications, library sciences and business from well-known and respected Universities. The staff at most small/local agencies perform several functions besides working with families, or even work from home. This means that if the China Program coordinator leaves, those families suffer. Small agencies lack team of experts without specialized knowledge of China's program.
Location Our International Headquarters are located in Austin, Texas and our China Headquarters is located near the CCAA in Beijing. Our China staff are in daily contact with the Chinese government on behalf of our families. Most small/local agencies have no representative in China, no office with staff in China.
Regional Representatives Great Wall has over 50 Regional Representatives located across United States and in Europe and Asia. Our warm and experienced Regional Representatives bring Great Wall quality services to your community. Regional Representatives host monthly educational seminars near you, hold support group meetings, and are ready and willing to answer your questions about adopting from China. Use this link for a listing of the Regional Representative near you. Not available
  Great Wall Advantages

Great Wall

 Small/Local Agencies
Program Options Great Wall has various service options throughout the adoption process that allow families to make choices about their own adoption. The ability to make these choices allows families to modify their adoption experience, based upon their unique needs. Not available.
Toll Free Phone Number Great Wall offers 1-888-GW-Family, our toll free phone number for prospective adoptive families, making it convenient for you to contact us to get your questions answered quickly. Not available.
Dossier Service Our Dragon Plan is a full dossier (adoption paperwork) preparation service. Parents who use this program benefit from having a Dossier Specialist complete their paperwork, giving them more time for family, career and an active lifestyle. With the Dragon Plan, Great Wall manages the paperwork process and completes your dossier quickly and properly, so that it can be sent to China sooner. You can use the Dragon Plan prior to starting your paperwork, or later, if managing the paperwork is not your forte. Not available.
Work with American Families Living Abroad No matter where you reside, we are here to help you fulfill your dream of adopting a child from China. Whether you choose our Dragon Plan dossier preparation service, or our Classic Plan, our staff has extensive experience assisting American families living abroad. Not available.
East Meets West - China Adoption Conference Great Wall's East Meets West is the only national conference dedicated to Chinese adoption in the U.S. It is intended for all families regardless of which adoption agency they use. The conference speakers are among the best and most influential adoption experts, including orphanage directors traveling from China. Families walk out of the conference amazed and empowered by the wealth of information they learn. East Meets West conferences take place twice a year in various locations throughout the nation. Log on www.gwca.org for next EMW near you. Not available.
Referral Education Great Wall understands that awaiting a referral can be a difficult time for families. Our Referral Counselors continuously provide families with information to prepare for their child. Educational literature covering a variety of topics from Bonding & Attachment to Chinese History is distributed to families on a weekly and monthly basis. Most important, our Referral Counselors are always available to answer your questions and address your concerns. Most small/local agencies provide no real service to families between submitting your dossier and receiving your referral. Small agencies have no permanent staff in China, and no staff expertise in referral education.
Child Care Package Service Upon receipt of the picture and medical report for your child, Great Wall offers families the option of using our child care package service. This service allows families to send a package or gift to their child to express their love while waiting to travel to China. Not available
Orphanage Donation Wiring Carrying $3,000 cash all the way to your child's orphanage can be challenging, Great Wall will wire $3,000 to your child's orphanage if you choose this service. So your travel is worry free! Not available
Prescriptions for adoptive Child Due to orphanage conditions, adoptive children often have a cold, ear infection, or other minor ailment when parents receive them in China. Unfortunately, many American doctors are unwilling to prescribe medications without examining the child first. Great Wall offers a prescription service, so you can travel to China with prescription medications for your child, if needed. Not available
National Travel Guides Great Wall provides a National guide who will travel with you from the moment you arrive in China to the moment you depart for the U.S. This guide works with our local guides, and provides families with continuity throughout all of their China destinations. Not available
Cultural Learning Tours We encourage families to learn about their child's culture and heritage. Therefore, we arrange Cultural Learning Tours in each city you visit while you are in China. Such tours help you learn and understand your child's heritage, and home land. Later, when your child asks you where s/he is from, you can answer the questions confidently. A few small/local agencies offer sightseeing tours in Beijing. However, they don't offer a specifically designed cultural learning itinerary throughout your trip.
Adoption Guides   Great Wall arranges all of your travel around your adoption appointments in China. We are known for our amazingly kind, attentive and very professional Adoption Guides. Our national guides are employed exclusively by Great Wall. From the moment you arrive in China to the moment you depart, you will be accompanied by a bi-lingual guide that is highly trained in the Chinese adoption process, translating for families, and providing the utmost level of care and service. Our Adoption Guides are your best friend in China! Most multi-program international agencies have subcontracted travel guides who work for several agencies, and your trip to China is arranged by a subcontracted tourist travel agency.
Cost   Great Wall's costs are not only comparable to small agencies, but we remain the most affordable. Our costs are consistently lower than those agencies. As an organization devoted to providing the highest level of service, most options for our families, most frequent communication, and customized travel arrangements, Great Wall offers the greatest value for families. We provide: educational workshops, Eligibility Check screening prior to sending us your application, quick application review, thorough dossier/document review, quick and accurate referral translation and processing, detailed travel itineraries, pre-arranged Cultural Learning Tours, and post-placement report services. We also provide the support of Headquarters staff and Regional Representatives throughout the process. International adoption costs range from $11,000 to $30,000 including travel expenses. This is because many small/local agencies are actually adoption brokers, submitting your dossier to a third party in China, who then submits it to the CCAA. This means that you pay additional costs for the third party.
Discount for Returning families Great Wall is very grateful to the adoptive families who have opened their hearts to Chinese orphans. We extend a large discount of $1,000 off our professional fees to all families adopting from China previously. You do not have to be a previous Great Wall family to receive this discount. Not available
Support Group Great Wall organizes culture club - a well-structured support group for our adoptive families throughout the U.S. We are committed to service and support you, not only during your adoption process, but also after your adoptions are finalized. The Culture Club is a great way to bond with other families, and build lifetime friends. Use this link for a listing of the Regional Representative near you. Not available
  Great Wall Advantages

Great Wall

 Small/Local Agencies
Personal Touch You will connect with our organization on your first phone call or email and continue to receive heartfelt support throughout your adoption journey. Many families write to us and send photos of their children, long after they have returned home. Many small agencies have little or no personal relationship with their adoptive families. This is because most small/local agencies just don't have the staff resources to provide a personal touch.
Frequent Contact   Communicating with families is a priority at Great Wall. You will receive information and updates weekly throughout your adoption. Your phone calls and emails are returned within 24 hours:it is our policy! Most small/local agencies do not communicate with families directly, unless there is a problem.
Updates, Updates, Updates Our goal is to keep you educated and confident throughout your adoption experience. By providing you with information and updates at each phase of the adoption process, Great Wall is able to keep each family knowledgeable on new policies, changes in procedures, agency activities and much, much more. Not available.
  Great Wall Advantages

Great Wall

 Small/Local Agencies
Global Advocacy Great Wall is known for our advocacy work on behalf of adoptive families and abandoned children, Great Wall can be spotted on the steps of the U.S. Capital and State Department all the way to the Chinese government and the U.S. and Chinese Consulates. No active advocacy
Advocacy in China We have earned our reputation for directly advocating for our families. One huge advantage that Great Wall families have is that our China Division staff contact the Chinese government daily to advocate for families. Although Great Wall cannot control the Chinese government's decisions and policies, we are able to advocate on your behalf. Small/local agencies do not have the access to actively advocate directly with the Chinese government. They lack the staff, language, reputation, and knowledge of the process, to effectively advocate on behalf of adoptive families.
Service Standards & Practices Being Modeled Great Wall has helped raise the bar of service standards and practices. Our service standards and practices are being modeled by the peer agencies in the areas of client care; post adoption support, service amenities, and latest adoption policies update and charity missions. It is not regarded as a model agency
Charity Missions Great Wall Gifts of Love charity mission allows you to donate specific items needed by your child's orphanage. For example, our families have donated an autoclave, washing machine, air conditioner, and even a laundry room to the orphanage that cared for their child. Great Wall Libraries of Love allows you to donate to the building of libraries for the children still living in orphanages. Our families have made donations toward building funds and library supplies, such as books and computers. Great Wall has completed two libraries, and is in the process of building a third. Not Available
Reference Lists We provide you with a list that spans the globe! There is no limit to the references you can contact to learn more about our organization. If you have a specific reference request please let us know; we are happy to help you gather as much information as you need during the research phase of the adoption journey. Not Available