Colombia Hosting - Holt International

This summer, you can host a waiting child from Colombia!

The Colombia hosting program is designed for families who are considering older child adoption or are interested in advocating for older children who need families, and for children in Colombia who are waiting for their permanent, loving families. When you host, you open your heart and your home to an older child for five weeks — giving them the chance to experience life with a family in the U.S. This is an opportunity for host children to experience many firsts: first plane ride, first time in a family setting and more. And for some children, this may be their first time meeting their future adoptive family.

Around the world, including in Colombia, older children are much less likely to be adopted. But they are just as deserving and in need of a family as any other child. Many families consider older child adoption but have questions, such as:

How will an older child adjust to such a different life?
How will I communicate with my host child?
Will I bond with them?
What about children already in my home?

Participating in this hosting program will help provide some answers to these questions for families considering older child adoption from Colombia. We hope you’ll consider hosting a child from Colombia this summer!

This hosting program is a unique partnership between the government of Colombia, Holt International and the organizations Project 143 and Kidsave.

For more information about the program and children who need host families, contact Holt’s hosting program coordinator, Kim Boyd, at kimboyd@holtinternational.org.

FAQs

Who are the children?

Children in this program have decided for themselves that they would like to be adopted, and our Colombia staff has determined this hosting program will be a positive opportunity for them. Typically, children are between the ages of 9 and 15, and they may be part of a sibling group. Sibling groups will be kept together. These children currently live with either a foster family or in a group home in different regions of Colombia.

When will the hosting program take place?

Through this program, children will travel to the U.S. and stay with their host family for five weeks over summer 2020. The anticipated timeframe is the last week in June through the month of July.

Is my family eligible?

The Colombia hosting program is open to families who are considering older child adoption or are interested in advocating for older children who need families. Families need to have a background check, ten hours of educational training, complete a psychosocial assessment, and be in adequate mental and physical health. Single women, married couples and same-sex couples may apply.

Is there a cost?

The cost to host a child is $2,800-$3,250, depending on which partner agency you host through. A full breakdown of fees, as well as grant opportunities, can be found on Kidsave and P143’s websites. In addition to the agency fee, families are required to complete a home safety visit/psychosocial study. Home safety visits completed by Holt cost $500. If a family does their home safety visit through Holt, then decides to adopt through Holt, this $500 fee will be applied toward their adoption. For more information about which partner agency is the best fit for you and your family, please contact kimboyd@holtinternational.org.

Email Holt With Questions

A Message from Kimberly Dowd-Uribe
Director of Colombia Adoption

Children are excited to come to the U.S. and they are eager to spend time with loving families. This is their chance to go on a "vacation" — to ride on an airplane, meet new friends, see a new part of the world and experience a different culture. They of course are also hoping that they might find a family who wants to adopt them!!