新寄养规则旨在保护儿童

China’s new foster care regulations are targeted at better protecting foster children. But problems remain with the current foster system. Some areas are in desperate need of reform.

A boy has been living with his foster parents for more than 10 years, but he is 16 so, according to regulations, he should have returned to the orphanage.

"I don’t want to leave home because grandma and grandpa are good to me. I wear good clothes, eat good food, and every week grandma gives me pocket money," he said.

"I can’t bear the thought of him leaving. I can’t foster another child; I just want him. I will keep him even if we’re not given subsidies. It’s not an issue of money anymore, I just want him to stay home," his foster mother said.

This family is not an isolated case. Every year, instances like this happen, posing orphanages  a dilemma.

"We have come across many problems, like how to help the children settle down when they reach a certain age. And when they turn 18, they become grown ups. But the current regulations don’t cover this. This needs to be looked at," Du Yong, head of Ningxia Orphanage, said.

There are also gray legal areas that make proper law enforcement difficult.

"We give subsidies to foster homes. But because of a lack of oversight, there maybe instances where child abuse can happen. Or cases of malnutrition," Du said.

Many orphans have disabilities or health issues, requiring them to stay in care centers for treatment. Orphanages came up with a solution to the problem, offering housing to foster parents.

One couple came to live in the orphanage after they retired. They have cared for Tang Jie for five years.

"If I haven’t seen my parents for a few days, I really miss them," Tang said.

"When my daughter had a baby, she wanted us to stay with her. At that time, it was a real dilemma for us, because we also really loved our foster children," foster mother Wen Huilan said.

The new regulations on foster care will serve to better protect children, but it is clear that much remains to be done to ensure as many children as possible can find a loving home.