READ COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Child Hosting With Frontier Horizon
All of our Colombian children are available for adoption. Many but not all Ukrainian children are available for adoption. The children in our Nicaragua program are host only. The children we serve in Nicaragua have families they are just desperately poor. Our work in Nicaragua seeks to build quasi extended families that build lasting relationships and empower opportunities.
You can find a clear and comprehensive list of necessary steps on the “Resources” page of the Frontier Horizon website. This resource is found in the resources file titled “Hosting Steps List.”
Child & Family Matching Considerations
Facilitating a “match” for a prospective host child and hosting family that ensures the best outcomes for all involved is a complex process. The history, needs, restrictions and preferences of both the hosting family and the perspective host child is carefully considered by all involved in the matching process. The primary contributors to this process are the host family, the child in consideration and the data that they provide. Frontier Horizon takes no position on the data provided, but rather simply include it in the process of matching in accordance with the stated requests of the parties involved and the policies and procedures of the government agencies with which we partner. These restrictions, needs and preferences may include but are not limited to the following:
– Trauma history
– Age
– Single children or sibling set preference and/or tolerance
– Physical or developmental delays
– Family constitution – single, married, number of children, etc.
– Sexual identity and/or orientation
– Bilingual competency
– Pets in the home
– Race & ethnicity
– Rural or urban residency
The final decision regarding matching is not a value judgement on the host family or the child. Every child deserves a home, and every compassionate heart is to be commended for their consideration of opening their home to a needy child. We understand the sensitivity of these considerations and do our best to handle them with wisdom and care.
All of the children who travel to the United States are insured. Please note this insurance is for medical emergencies only and cannot be used for general care clinics, non-emergency hospital visits, or physician appointments. Families may choose to take their children for a check-up at their own expense. We have found that many doctors will offer discounts if they know the children are international orphans.
NOTE: Families hosting Colombian children must secure explicit permission prior to proceeding with any non-emergency care.
The original vision for international child hosting with Frontier Horizon was not concieved as a pathway to adoption. However, for many families it has become one. Between 60 and 70 percent of children hosted by Frontier Horizon families have gone on to be pursued for adoption. There is a large community of children who have been adopted and are now living in the United States and Canada as a direct result of the program. Adoption is one options available for families considering ongoing care for children they host.
Whatever your motivation for hosting, please be aware that Frontier Horizon is an international child hosting organization and not an adoption agency. The work of Frontier Horizon is focused on bridging the gap between vulnerable children and those in a position to help. Experience has taught us that personal encounters with vulnerable populations is the best means of fostering motivation for engagement. Often these transformative encounters are experienced via our international hosting program. At other times, individuals and families travel with Frontier Horizon staff as a part of one of our International Impact Trips. While we are always excited to see post hosting adoptions work out, we are in no way involved in the adoption process. If you choose to pursue adoption, you will be directed to connect with an appropriate adoption agency to inform and direct you in this process.
Families hosting from Colombia have a month from the end of the hosting program to send a letter of intent.
As soon as possible, contact Pamela Mejia at CHI:
Children’s House International
506 Grover St. #115 Lynden, WA 98264
Office: 360-383-0623
Fax: 360-383-0640
pamela@chiadopt.org
Yes please do! We encourage and welcome individuals and families to host children even if they are not interested in adoption. At Frontier Horizon we make it possible for families to “bring an orphan home.” What comes from these rich international encounters is as unique as the children and families that engage them. Most often hosting is the beginning of a wonderful relational journey, which is expressed in many creative and impactful ways that do not include adoption. The work of Frontier Horizon is focused on two things primarily. First we seek to elevate awareness of the need of the international orphan community. Second, we work to foster impactful relationships that will support a vulnerable child’s efforts to secure a safe and fruitful future. Your choice to host with Frontier Horizon may be the beginning of that journey for one more child.
No. The Colombian government will not allow families to visit these children unless it is apart of the adoption process.
Hosting is rarely the end of your engagement with the child you host. Most families go on to establish lasting relationships with the children they meet through Frontier Horizon. However, every situation is unique. What may or may not be possible with regard to post hosting engagement may vary significantly. You are advise to consider options directly with your Frontier Horizon representative. A few general things to keep in mind. For our Colombian children, our primary focus is to encourage adoption and we do not have opportunities to sponsor them after hosting. However, for the Ukraine and Nicaragua galleries, ongoing support is strongly encouraged. Digital communication on various platforms are common and opportunities for material support can be established as well.
Under no circumstances are host families permitted to travel with their hosted children outside the nation in which they are being hosted – United States or Canada. Neither the children’s visas nor their insurance will allow the children to leave the country in which the host family lives.
Frontier Horizon has the privilege of working with diverse countries and cultures in its daily work with vulnerable children. As such we must appreciate the strengths of every international partner and graciously navigate challenges that are beyond our control. We ask all families to be aware of the following considerations particular to hosting with Colombia.
Medication for anxiety – If you or your spouse are or have previously been prescribed medication for anxiety and/or depression you are encouraged to disclose this to your Frontier Horizon representative as the Colombian government does consider such medical history in its child placement protocol. A note from the prescribing physician may be required.
Criminal History – If you or your spouse have a criminal record you are encouraged to disclose this to your Frontier Horizon representative. The Colombian government does consider such history carefully prior to any engagement with hosting or adoptions approval
Pets – House pets are culturally normative in the United States and Canada. However, for some of our children, cats and dogs have only been experienced as street roaming scavengers. Animals that share living space with their owners may be uncomfortable for some of the children we serve from Colombia. Of course, families with pets can still host a child, but bear in mind that pets should be cleaned up after meticulously if they reside within the home, and ideally are well-behaved/well-trained to avoid any potential triggers for the host child.
Non-alcoholic drinks – It is strongly encouraged that families abstain from consuming alcohol while hosting international orphans. This is because so many of our children have only experienced alcohol in its most abusive ways. We also discourage the consumption of non-alcoholic beers as the smell and look of these products can still serve as a significant trigger for many children.
Yes. However, these opportunities are not “guaranteed” and are subject to many factors. Frontier Horizon regularly hosts International Impact Trips and individuals are welcome to apply to participate. Families may also pursue personal opportunities to visit hosted children. The children absolutely love having their host families visit them in Ukraine and Nicaragua. Seeing the orphanages and the children in their homes proves to be a life-changing experience for our teams. Please contact us if you are interested in traveling on a team or if you would like to organize a team to travel to Ukraine or Nicaragua with Frontier Horizon.
Frontier Horizon advocates for hundreds of children in any given season. Many families are visiting our site and considering the possibility of international hosting. To secure a specific child / children for your family to host you must complete the following steps:
1. Complete the Frontier Horizon hosting application
2. Submit the $150 hosting application fee
3. Inform the Frontier Horizon staff of the particular child / children of interest for detailed
consideration
4. Submit a hosting hold deposit of $500 per child
Once these steps have been taken the child will be designated as “HOSTED” on the Frontier Horizon website and assigned to your family for that hosting session.
NOTE: The above mentioned steps “hold” the child for the designated family. However, all remaining requirements must also be met to ultimately realize hosting any child with Frontier Horizon.
NOTE: All funds submitted to Frontier Horizon are tax deductible charitable gifts and thus NON-REFUNDABLE
NO! For no reason is a hosted child permitted to remain with the host family beyond the prescribed program dates. All foreign governments, as well as the US Embassy, require that all hosted children return to their country of origin in strict adherence to agreed upon program dates. Any violation of this agreement is breaking the law and endangers the future of our program as well as the future of the child you are hosting. If necessary, legal action will be taken against you should you fail to act in accordance to this mandate. In addition you will be held responsible for all legal fees incurred by Frontier Horizon regarding any such matters.
It is the responsibility of host families to serve as the guardians of Frontier Horizon Hosting Program children at all times. Unvetted individuals are not permitted to assume any significant oversight of hosted children. Please read our handbook or contact us for more information on our policy regarding this issue.
All funds submitted to Frontier Horizon are tax deductible philanthropic gifts and thus are NON-REFUNDABLE.
HOSTING FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
Frontier Horizon’s Hosting Program costs vary by program and range between $2,795 and $3,500 per child plus a $150 Application Fee. There are discounts available for families hosting more than one child. Additional expenses will be incurred. These ancillary expenses are summarized below. Please contact us for details
COLOMBIA Hosting fee breakdown:
(Partial grants, as noted below, are available for families hosting more than one child)
$2,795 for one child
$5,190 for two children ($400 off)
$7,485 for three children ($900 off)
$9,580 for four children ($1,600 off)
NICARAGUA Hosting fee breakdown:
(Partial grants, as noted below, are available for families hosting more than one child)
$3,250 for one child
$6,100 for two children ($400 off)
$8,850 for three children ($900 off)
$11,400 for four children ($1,600 off)
UKRAINE Hosting fee breakdown:
(Partial grants, as noted below, are available for families hosting more than one child)
$3,250 for one child
$6,100 for two children ($400 off)
$8,850 for three children ($900 off)
$11,400 for four children ($1,600 off)
NOTE: Frontier Horizons Ukrainian program has both a short and long session. The short being about 5 weeks and the long being about 9 weeks in duration. Those engaging the “Long Program” with Ukraine will be be responsible for an additional $300 per child hosted.
Additional costs NOT covered by hosting fees:
Please consult the Frontier Horizon Handbook for additional cost that will be incurred in the process of hosting that are not included in the above stated hosting fees. These ancillary cost will include fees related to a home study, application fee, background check, and travel expenses for retrieving and returning hosted children to the international flight hub.
All funds submitted to Frontier Horizon are tax deductible philanthropic gifts and thus are NON-REFUNDABLE.
S
Yes, hosted children may travel with their host families domestically within the host families national residence. However, families are encouraged to consider any significant travel plans with the Frontier Horizon staff to ensure that no unforeseen challenges arise.
NOTE: The Colombian government requires that host families inform Frontier Horizon of all travel schedules that include taking your child more than two hours’ drive from your home. All hosted children are prohibited from traveling outside of the country within which they are being hosted – US or Canada.
Families are free to purchase items for the children they host. All the children served by Frontier Horizon come from under-resourced contexts. Oftentimes, the children come to the US or Canada with just the clothes on their back and a small backpack of personal items. Securing provisions for basic needs and special treats are always appreciated by the children. However, families are encourage to resist the urge to “spoil” the children they host and certainly do not need to feel compelled to make undue investments of this kind. More information regarding this topic can be found in the Frontier Horizon Handbook.
NOTE: Colombia has strict guidelines on gifts that can be bought for the hosted child. Absolutely no electronic devises (cell phones, laptops, ipads, etc.) can be sent back with the child.
Yes! We encourage you to contact families who have hosted with Frontier Horizon. Our partners are remarkable human beings and will certainly be a wonderful resource for anyone seeking to learn from their experience. Inform the Frontier Horizon staff of your desire to do so and appropriate contact will be facilitated.
Yes. Frontier Horizon is happy to facilitate hosting in all 50 states. Those living in extremely remote areas should contact Frontier Horizon to consider any limitations to hosting in their local. Rallying others in your region to host children alongside you is always helpful for Frontier Horizon and generally significantly elevates the experience for all involved. However, there is no requirement to do so.
IMPORTANT NOTE: While we facilitate hosting in every state, WE ARE NOT in a position to facilitate logistics that will bring your hosted child to an airport nearest you. Host children are flown into international flight hubs with in the US. Families must travel to these International hubs to pick up the child/children they are hosting. These hubs are determined each year by the volume of children being hosted and the most central international airports in relationship to where the predominance of children are being hosted.
Yes. Frontier Horizon is delighted to serve Canadians. However, presently we are only permitted to do so via our Ukrainian program. Presently we are not permitted to facilitate the hosting of Nicaraguan or Colombian children in Canada. There are some other limitations to our operations in Canada due to national systems outside of our control. Please do consult with the Frontier Horizon staff regarding your specific situation.
No. We presently only have operations in the US and Canada.
Some essential components, requirements, and expectations
Guardians
Guardians / Interpreters travel with the children from their home country at a 1:7/1:8 ratio. These helpful partners not only facilitate the travel of hosted children they also serve as a first language resource to our host families for the duration of the hosting program. These guardian / interpreters must be housed during the program. Your consideration of housing a guardian in addition to your child for part of the program is much appreciated but not required.
Citizenship & Age
Host parents must be citizens of the United States or Canada and 25 and older.
Training
Host parents (both when applicable) must complete 10 hours of online training provided by Frontier Horizon.
Short Home Study
As a part of the application process, potential hosts must complete or provide a valid short home study or home safety visit. This component of the process tends to be the most cumbersome and is completed by your local social service agencies or a local adoption agency. See the Frontier Horizon Handbook for more details.
Background Check
All persons 18 years of age and older, living in the host home, must complete a criminal background check.
Hosting Fees & Philanthropic Support
International child hosting provides a profoundly transformative experience that opens a world of opportunities for all involved. Facilitating these amazing programs is time intensive and expensive. Prompt fulfillment of all hosting fee obligations is deeply appreciated. For those families in a position to support Frontier Horizon philanthropically, your partnership is directly connected to expanding our capacity to serve more children and families. Thank you!
Important Advisement
Compassion is messy and comes with few guarantees. Frontier Horizon makes every effort to ensure that the process and experience of hosting is fantastic for all involved. However, child hosting comes with some level of risk. Though there is hardly a circumstance unfamiliar to the Frontier Horizon staff given our decades of service, there remain issues that are beyond our control. Frontier Horizon cannot guarantee the child you choose to host will connect well with your family, will behave as expected or otherwise align with hoped for outcomes. Hosting certainly comes with no guarantees for those inclined toward adoption. On rare occasions, illness or unforeseen circumstances may complicate or hinder the travel of the prospective host children. Frontier Horizon has no control or responsibility concerning the decisions of orphanage staff, government officials, or adoption agencies. Should challenges arise, the Frontier Horizon staff will do everything it can to serve, support and resolve any issue concerning your hosting experience.
All of our policies are closely tied to the requirements and preferences of the countries with which we serve. Presently single women are permitted to host. Single men are not permitted to host. There are further restrictions for singles regarding adoption.
For families not inclined to adoption but committed to the longterm care of the children they host student visas can be of significant interest. Though such provisions can be deeply impactful, they can be very difficult to secure. Presently this option is not available for families hosting children from Colombia. As with adoptions, this pathway for ongoing care must be handled independent of Frontier Horizon. Contacting a lawyer that specializes in student visas may be a good resource for you to engage with regard to this opportunity. You may also refer the lawyer to Frontier Horizon if he has questions you cannot answer.
This is a good question, and a worthy consideration of all who are pondering International child hosting. Though Frontier Horizon’s international hosting programs was not conceived as a pathway to adoption it has become exactly that for many families. 65% of the children hosted with Frontier Horizon have subsequently been pursued for adoption by their host families. However, there are many families deeply committed to the global orphan community that are not positioned for or inclined to adoption. Hosting provides an amazing way for such families to make a real impact in the life of a vulnerable child.
Though the fundamental question is a good one it is often based on an insufficient conception of how ongoing care and impact can be sustained in the life of a vulnerable child. Adoption is one way but it is certainly not the only way. Frontier Horizon elevates engagement in the cause of vulnerable children by creating visceral relational experiences by way of its international hosting program. Sharing your home with a child from “another world” is profoundly impactful. These hosting experiences are rarely the end of ones compassionate journey but rather the front door to a long standing reciprocal relationship of love and care. The way this care is executed is as unique as the children and families that engage hosting. Hosted children are often, “re-hosted” by their hosting families. Electronic communication and material support are a rich means of impactful support. Host families have visited the countries their host children hail from. Others have attended weddings, facilitated higher education and countless other points of support that have enabled motivated children to achieve their dreams. These empowering milestones would have remained out of reach were it not for their experience of hosting and the relationships that came from that experience. Frontier Horizon Executive Director, Tom Sasser likes to say, “I have never met a child that wishes they had not been hosted.”
The majority of our children are between the ages of 6 and 16. Children under 6 years of age generally lack the maturity necessary for supporting a positive hosting experience. Children that have “aged out” of the child welfare system within their country of origin are not available for international hosting. Most of the children available from Colombia are between 10 and 14. As most intuitively understand, older displaced children are among the most vulnerable and least likely to find a permanent support system. It is these children we seek to serve.
The answer to this question varies by country. In Colombia, the government interviews the children and determines their suitability for international hosting. In Ukraine and Nicaragua, Frontier Horizon works closely with orphanage directors, families and national child welfare facilitators to select children who demonstrate traits conducive to international child hosting. Simplistically stated those children that present a positive disposition, educational engagement and favorable behavior at home often carry these tendencies with them into their hosting experience. Children who are selected as hosting candidates see the trip to the United States or Canada as a reward for the good choices they have made. However, despite our careful process, how any child will respond to their hosting experience comes with some level of uncertainty. Hosting hosting experiences go amazingly well but there are times when it can become quite difficult. Please be aware of the risks involved in hosting an impoverished or orphaned child as outlined in the Hosting Handbook.
1) Frontier Horizon Application
After you sign up for hosting through Frontier Horizon and pay their hosting fee $2,795.00 (per child; sponsorship available for siblings), you will complete a CHI Agency Application and pay the $25.00 application fee. Once this is completed, you will be directed to CHI’s online portal, E-Adopt – this is where all communication will be held throughout your experience with CHI from this point forward!
2) Endorsement Letter
The Agency will approve the hosting family and match after reviewing all the documents requested.
3) Home Safety Report (HSR)
What is a Home Safety Report? It can be completed by an independent Social Worker but is recommended to do use a Hague approved agency. Instructions and a template will be provided.
If you decide to continue with an adoption, a more detailed Home Study report is required from a Hague approved provider. Using a Hague Agency could save you time and money on the home study for adoption as they will have already visited your home and gathered information on your family.
CHI will provide this service in the following states: Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Texas, Utah and Washington. CHI can also refer you to a Hague approved agency in your State. CHI will provide detailed instructions and a template for this report
4) State Criminal And Child Abuse Background Check
These document can be done either by you or by your Social Worker. It is required one each host parent and anyone living in the host home over 17 years of age. It is best for your Social Worker to complete this, however if that is not possible, please ask CHI and we will send you the information on how to complete this.
5) Adoption/hosting Education
All parents are required to complete at least 10 hours of Hague Training to be a host. We have seen substantial benefits when parent training is finished prior to your Home Safety Report, so families should begin these courses BEFORE meeting with your social worker. Please do make sure both parents names are on each certificate.
We suggest families take online courses from Creating A Family’s hosting package -this package is free with our agency code: chia 19 https://www.adoptioned.org/bundles/hosting package
We do accept parent training from other programs, only if it covers all the subjects required by The Hague Convention. Please obtain prior approval before completing alternate trainings.
6) Family Photos
The Colombian government loves photos! You will need to include 20+ photographs. Photos should be arranged 2-4 to a page and labeled in English and in Spanish. These should include several of you, your spouse, and children (if applicable) and extended family. Photos of the exterior and interior of your home should be included and the bed and room where your host child will be staying should be clearly labeled. The Colombian Government appreciates photos of quality time spent as a family unit: vacations, family dinners, spontaneous road trips, etc. Please take time finding photos which portray yourself, your home, and family in a clear, well-presented, authentic manner. These will be used to give a visual representation of your family to officials reviewing your hosting request.
These do not need to be professional photos but should be clear snapshots of you and your family taking part in things you enjoy. both inside and outside the confines of your home.
7) Video Of Your Family And Home
The video should include all of the family members and a brief tour around the house. Please keep it simple and small, no more than 5 minutes long.
8) Advocacy Letter Plan
If you are going to be an advocacy family ONLY, the Colombian Government requires a letter where you explain in a concise manner the plans you have to advocate for your hosting child/ren. Activities you will be involved in at church, in your neighborhood, maybe family meetings, etc.