ABOUT OUR CHILE PROGRAMME
Compassion for Orphans is accredited by the Chilean Central Authority (under the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption) to intermediate adoptions from Chile. Compassion for Orphans was first accredited by the Chilean Central Authority as an adoption agency in 2006.
Capital
Language
Population
Area
Currency
Life expectancy
Santiago de Chile
Spanish, Mapudungun, Aimara, Rapa Nui
17.9 million
756,096 km2 (291,930 sq miles)
Chilean Peso
77 years (men), 82 years (women)
Chile is one of South America's most stable and prosperous nations. It has been relatively free of the coups and arbitrary governments that have blighted the continent. The exception was the 17-year rule of General Augusto Pinochet, whose 1973 coup was one of the bloodiest in 20th-century Latin America and whose dictatorship left more than 3,000 people dead and missing. Chile's unusual, ribbon-like shape - 4,300 km long and on average 175 km wide - has given it a hugely varied climate. This ranges from the world's driest desert - the Atacama - in the north, through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, to a snow-prone Alpine climate in the south, with glaciers, fjords and lakes. Chile is a multi-ethnic society, including people of European and Indian ancestry.
WHY ADOPT FROM CHILE?
Compassion for Orphans only intermediates intercountry adoptions with countries who have ratified or acceded to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.
Additionally it is important that countries that we work with rigorously apply the principles set out in the Hague Convention. In this regard, having now intermediated the adoption of several children from Chile, we have experienced in our working relationship with Chile, since 2006, that the Chilean Authorities intercountry adoption process is fully Hague Convention compliant. The Chile adoption programme is widely regarded as a stable programme. We are particularly impressed with the preparation and care of the children.
The Chilean Central Authority has a range of support services for children in care. In particular, all children over the age of three years undergo a therapeutic process to assist the children with abandonment and institutionalisation.
This is very important as most children in need of overseas families will have a history of institutionalisation and may come from more complex social backgrounds. Many children have parents with a history of alcohol, drug abuse or psychiatric conditions. Common health difficulties include hearing or sight problems (many of which may be correctable with surgery), neurological disorders and behavioural issues.
Due to these services, the Chilean Central Authority is able to provide detailed information about a child with the allocation proposal to help prospective adoptive parents make an informed decision about their capacity to adopt a particular child. This includes any information available on the child’s life story, as well as a psychological, health, and school performance assessment.
The Chilean Central Authority believes very strongly in the need for all parties to an adoption to be properly prepared. Their officers work closely with the children in this regard.
From a cost perspective the Chilean and New Zealand Governments do not charge a fee for the adoption. To date, Compassion for Orphans has not yet had to charge adoption programme fees.
The major costs are airfares, accommodation, translation fees and in-country support (the translation fees and in-country support are incurred at local prevailing rates which are significantly favourable relative to New Zealand). Consequently the cost to adopt from Chile has proven affordable and within the reach of the average New Zealand family.
MAP OF CHILE
