Hosting Program 2015

Hosting – Welcome Home

International Christian Adoptions (ICA) is a statewide, fully licensed agency in California. It is also accredited by the Hague Convention (the highest accountability institution in the world for protecting children).

 What is Welcome Home?

“Welcome Home” is a program developed by ICA with the purpose of providing permanency in a family of orphans worldwide. This is a challenging program for parents and children and has a great success ratio of finding forever families.

Welcome Home began in 1991. From that time, the Welcome Home program has been replicated by many other institutions around the world. ICA’s model is now put into a recognized “Standards of Practice”.

ICA has two Welcome Home programs: Welcome Home USA and Welcome Home International.

We attempt to find forever families for participating children, ages 5-17, who have been orphaned, abandoned, and/or are wards of the state, participate in one of the three versions:

• Weekend (USA)
• 1 Week (USA)
• 3-6 Weeks (International)

Government approval (ie. state or country) is always received ahead of time. During this program, the children and families participate in scheduled activities and at the end of the day the child stays in the host home overnight. Once the program is completed, the children all return to their original homes while the prospective adoptive family prepares all of the paperwork necessary to adopt.

Host Family Information:

Host homes advocate for their host child by trying to find them an adoptive family. Host homes must meet our adoptive family requirements:

• Must be Married at Least 3 Years
• Home Study Approved (free)
• Criminal/Child Abuse Clearances
• Physically/Psychologically Healthy
• 20 Hours of Host Parent Training
• Participate in Fundraising Events
• Procure Items & Package Hope Paks

Host families must adhere to all ICA policies and procedures as well as provide for the host child during their stay in their home and attend all planned orientations, trainings, and camp events. The host family is also responsible to provide one 50 lb bag of humanitarian aid for their host child to take with them to share with the other children at their orphanage.

What does it cost? 

$2700.  These are travel expenses for the children.  No agency fees for hosting.

ICA requests that the host family provide for their hosted child just like they would their own children. We invite host families to fundraise or seek a “sponsor” among friends, relatives, and others. Other incurred costs may be for training certifications, and criminal and health clearances.Forever Families

Adoption | Host to Adopt

Once a host family or other party has informed ICA Staff of their decision to adopt ICA will contact the family to discuss the specifics of adopting that particular child or children. This is an exciting and important time for the adoptive family, and each case is given special care and attention.

Foster Care: Host, Adopt, Sponsor, Give, and Learn