At AFHK, we are driven by a clear and compelling mission to:

CONNECT * EDUCATE * ADVOCATE

Between 2022-2024 we accomplished the following:

CONNECT

• We hosted over 20 social events for the adoption community, providing opportunities for members, non-members, and those interested in adoption to connect and network.

• For Families: Events such as barbecues and get-together days focused on fun activities and games for all ages to participate in.

• For Waiting and Newly Adoptive Families: Casual gatherings were organized to create a relaxed atmosphere for meaningful interactions and resource sharing.

• For Single Parents: We have a dedicated WhatsApp support group.  We ran 10 exclusive social events, including a Valentine's Day dinner and a rejuvenating floating sound bath session.

• We continued to support adult adoptees with roots tracing guidance.  

• A WhatsApp Community Group was created to provide easy access to updates on AFHK events, community happenings, articles, and resources of interest.

• We assisted members with information requests and connections to families who have navigated similar challenges.

• Our efforts included connecting adoptive families with resources available from both government and non-government agencies in Hong Kong.

• We maintained a user-friendly website for event sign-ups and access to AFHK membership and resources.

• Our active social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn provided a wealth of relevant information, resources, and adoption-related content.

• We also maintained a Members' Forum for private and confidential questions and advice.

EDUCATE

• On June 20, 2024, we presented a highly successful webinar in partnership with The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), titled “Are Children Struggling Because of Special Educational Needs (SEN) or Other Reasons? Supporting Children and Families Affected by Prenatal Alcohol/Drug Exposure,” which attracted 347 attendees, making it one of HKCSS's most attended webinars ever. Our esteemed speakers included Dr. Erica Liu Wollin, Clinical Psychologist; Dr. Anna Cheng Wai-fun, Associate Consultant at United Christian Hospital; and Mr. Hong Ho Ching, Assistant Centre-in-charge at Enlighten Centre. I’m 

• On September 20, 2022, we held the first part of our Prenatal Substance Exposure Webinar series on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, attended by 150 participants, featuring Dr. Ju-lee Oei, a senior neonatologist from Australia.

• The second part of the series, focusing on intervention and care for children with prenatal substance exposure, took place on November 8, 2022, with 125 attendees, featuring Stacy Blythe, an Associate Professor at Western Sydney University.

• We organized a webinar on roots tracing Chinese birth families using DNA and genealogy, presented by Wesley O. Hagood, an adoptive parent and author.

• Individual online Citizenship Information Meetings were held for US, UK, and Australian citizenship for adopted children.

• We conducted 15 meetings for waiting families (in both English and Chinese) to prepare for the adoption process, featuring knowledgeable speakers from the adoption field.

• We commissioned original articles by experts to support the adoption community, including guidance on finding adoption therapists in Hong Kong, which, along with other resources, are accessible on our website in both English and Chinese. RESOURCES

ADVOCATE

• We actively collaborate with organizations involved in adoption in Hong Kong, such as the Social Welfare Department, Mother’s Choice, Po Leung Kuk, and International Social Service Hong Kong, to exchange insights, address mutual concerns, and share experiences.

• Our advocacy efforts include championing adoptee rights, such as parental leave for adoptive parents and access to adoptee and birth family records. We engage in discussions on family law and contribute to law reform reviews that impact the adoption community.

• We continue to raise awareness about Prenatal Substance Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Hong Kong.

• Regular meetings with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service allow us to share viewpoints and collaborate on shared interests.

• We prepared and submitted research and statements to the Review of Substantive Sexual Offences Laws in Hong Kong, advocating for equal treatment of adoptees and birth children under the law, with support from the Hong Kong University Law Faculty.

• We have collaborated with students from the Hong Kong University Law Faculty and gathered information on adoption practices concerning privacy laws, roots tracing, citizenship, parental leave rights, and adoption statistics, with results to be published on our website.

• We ensure accurate representation of the adoption community through media interviews and articles whenever the opportunity arises.

AFHK is here to help address complex aspects of adoption such as: 

How do I start to prepare to become a parent through adoption?

How to develop the bonds of attachment for all in our family?

How and when should I tell my child about their adoption?

How do I answer my child when they ask why they were placed for adoption? 

Should we tell our child's teacher that she is adopted?

My teenager wants to search for their birth parents and extended family.

I am an adult adoptee interested in roots tracing.

How can I as a professional be more informed about adoption and attachment?

How and when should I call in professional support for my child and family?