Interview Questions
The Following is a list of questions we normally ask during our interview process. If you have specific questions, we will be happy to ask whatever you wish.
Questions for Child Updates
Questions for SWI
Do they know where she was abandoned?
Can we get a finding ad for her?
Was there a note found with her?
What was she wearing when found?
Who found her?
Did they keep her finding clothing?
Please provide any specific information found (ie. Time of day/weather conditions, etc).
Who named her?
What does her name mean?
Is her ethnic background known? (Han Chinese? Etc.)
What dates has she been living in the SWI?
Has she been in any foster care? If so, how many and what dates.
How many caregivers interact with her?
How many children are in her same room and how many caregivers?
Does she have a favorite caregiver or someone she is especially attached to?
How many during the day? How many at night? Is there a caregiver that sleeps in the same room as her?
Is there any child (friend) that she has become attached to?
What are her sleeping patterns?
Does she take naps?
Does she sleep through the night?
Does she sleep alone?
What does she sleep ih (crib/bed?)?
Does she sleep in the dark or with a light on?
Is she a light sleeper waking easily or heavy sleeper?
How does she go to sleep (held?rocked?tucked in a certain position?)?
Does she wake in the night (to be fed?diaper change?)?
How many children share the room she sleeps in?
Does she sleep heavily clothed?
What is her eating schedule?
What does she eat?
Does she take a bottle?
What does she drink?
What are her favorite foods?
Are there any foods she doesn’t like?
Does she have any allergies to food?
What kind of formula is used?
What temperature is the drink given (hot/warm/cold?)?
Does she eat solid foods?
Does she feed herself?
Is she a picky eater?
Does she eat much or little?
What is her daily schedule?
How is she bathed (sponge bath/in a tub/please describe)?
Do they clean her with cool/warm/or very warm water?
Is she potty trained?
Does she wear split pants?
Does she wear a diaper?
Cloth or disposable diaper?
What is her personality like? (happy, quiet, shy, outgoing, loud, scared, friendly, stubborn, reserved, withdrawn, etc.)
What are her likes/dislikes?
What makes her happy? Sad? Scared?
What does she like to play with?
Does she have any favorite toys?
Does she like music? What kind? Does she like to dance?
Does she have a nickname? What does it mean?
Does she respond to her given name or nickname? Which is she used to being called?
Does she understand Chinese? What words are used most when communicating to her? What dialect is she used to hearing?
What is done to comfort/soothe her?
Does she have to soothe herself or is someone readily available to her needs? Do you notice any self-soothing actions by her (does she rock back and forth/suck her thumb/stare off into space)?
What sounds does she respond to?
Can she crawl? Walk? Talk? Run? Roll over? Sit up? Pick up toys? Etc.
Does she speak? How much? What words can she say? What do they mean?
Is she healthy?
Does she get sick often? If so, what?
Has she been seen by a doctor for anything?
If so, is the doctor provided at the orphanage?
Please provide any medical information that you can. Is she up to date on immunizations?
Does she have any allergies?
Does she have any special needs (ie. Cleft lip, etc.) If so, what?
Please get as much information as possible if there has been any medical care, done where, when and by whom. Also please provide photos.
Does she seem bonded with the orphanage caregivers? Please describe.
What is your perception of the caregivers and their relationship with the child? Are they nourtouring? Loving? Reserved? Bonded? Strict?, etc.)
How many teeth does she have?
What are her measurements? Head? Chest? Waist? Height? Weight? Foot size?
How do caregivers feel about the adoption and having to let go of the child?
Are they prepared for it?
Are they preparing the child for the upcoming adoption?
Is there anything they would like to say to the adoptive family?
Is there any message that the SWI has for her as she gets older? Would they like update reports?
Questions for Foster Family
Who cares for the child? Please list all family members living in the home (name/age/occupation)? Who is the primary care giver? Who is the child most attached to? Please describe each person in the home (the role they play/their appearance/what is their personality like).
Where do they live? Please describe their home. Do they live in a rural area? Close to factories? Etc.
What is their address?
How far do they live from the orphanage?
What is their means of transportation?
Why did they choose to do foster care? Is this their first child? Are there any other children in the home? Do they plan to continue foster care after this child goes to it’s adoptive family?
At what age did the child come into their care? How long have they cared for her? Has she spent any time in the orphanage?
Is there any child (friend) that she has become attached to?
Do they have any pets or has she been exposed to any animals?
What are her sleeping patterns? Does she take naps? Does she sleep through the night? Does she sleep alone? What does she sleep ih (crib/bed?)? Does she sleep in the dark or with a light on? Is she a light sleeper waking easily or heavy sleeper? How does she go to sleep (held?rocked?tucked in a certain position?)? Does she wake in the night (to be fed?diaper change?)?
What is her eating schedule? What does she eat? Does she take a bottle? What does she drink? What are her favorite foods? Are there any foods she doesn’t like? Does she have any allergies to food? What kind of formula is used? What temperature is the drink given (hot/warm/cold?)? Does she eat solid foods? Does she feed herself?
What is her daily schedule? How is she bathed (sponge bath/in a tub/please describe)? Do they clean her with cool/warm/or very warm water?
What is her personality like? (happy, quiet, shy, outgoing, loud, scared, friendly, stubborn, reserved, withdrawn, etc.) What are her likes/dislikes?
Is she potty trained? Does she wear split pants? Does she wear a diaper? Cloth or disposable diaper?
What makes her happy? Sad? Scared?
What does she like to play with? Does she have any favorite toys?
Does she like music? What kind? Does she like to dance?
Does she have a nickname? What does it mean?
Does she respond to her given name or nickname? Which is she used to be called?
Does she understand Chinese? What words are used most when communicating to her? What dialect is she used to hearing?
What is done to comfort/soothe her?
What sounds does she respond to?
Can she crawl? Walk? Talk? Run? Roll over? Sit up? Pick up toys? Etc.
Does she speak? How much? What words can she say? What do they mean?
Is she healthy? Does she get sick often? If so, what? Has she been seen by a doctor for anything? If so, is the doctor provided at theorphanage? Please provide any medical information that you can. Is she up to date on immunizations? Does she have any allergies? Does she have any special needs (ie. Cleft lip, etc.) If so, what? Please get as much information as possible if there has been any medical care, done where, when and by whom. Also please provide photos.
Does she seem bonded with the family? Please describe.
What is your perception of the foster family and their relationship with the child? Are they nourtouring? Loving? Reserved? Bonded? Strict?, etc.)
Does the foster family know anything about the adoptive family? How do they feel about the adoption and having to let go of the child? Are they prepared for it? Are they preparing the child for the upcoming adoption? Do they have any desire to have contact with the adoptive family? Do they plan to continue foster care once this child has gone home with their new family? Is there anything they would like to say to the adoptive family?
Requested Photos:
Of the child: close-ups, full body, without layered clothing, in activity, with foster family members, with special toys/blankets/etc, with any gifts sent from their adoptive family
Of the foster family: each individual member of the house, interacting with child, holding child, etc. (if they are being interviewed at the orphanage, can you request photos of any member not present for the interview)
Of their home: (if possible) interior and exterior, where she sleeps, where she eats, where she is bathed, where she plays, etc. local neighborhood, landscape and views
Of the orphanage: (if possible) interior and exterior, where she sleeps, her bed/crib, where she eats, play area, any area the child has been exposed to, photo of the orphanage director, any caregivers, local neighborhood, anything relevant
Any special needs (ie. Cleft palate, etc)
