Children Above All (CAA) was founded in the middle of the 1970s by some families who had adopted children from India and wanted to support the orphanage that their children had spent their time before the adoptions took place. When the Swedish law changed in 1979 and non-profitmaking associations could apply for authorisation to mediate international adoptions the board of Children Above All decided to apply. In december 1979 "Children Above All - Adoptions (CAA-A)" received the authorisation to mediate international adoptions.

We work within three spheres of activities; international adoptions, aid projects and sponsorship programs and is headed by a board. We mediate international adoptions from 12 countries; Bolivia, Bulgaria, Czech Republique, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. From the start in 1979/80 until the 31st of December 2005 2.186 children have arrived to families in Sweden with the help from us. In 2005 we mediated in adoptions of 67 children to Sweden.

The Board and administrations
The board of directors consists of 10 persons who on a non-profitmaking basis work for the association. Within the board there are specific persons appointed and responsible for the aid projects and for the sponsorship programmes. The office is situated in Kungsbacka, Sweden and has six employees, who administer the adoption mediation as well as contacts with both Swedish and foreign authorities. The running of the office is covered by fees from adoptive parents in process of adopting. Other activities within the association is performed by members on a non-profitmaking basis. This includes work in the board of directors, publishing a member magazine 4 times a year, education for prospective adoptive parents, aid projects, arranging Summercamps and Christmas celebrations, administration of the sponsorship programmes etc. The goal for the aid projects and the sponsorship programmes is that all money, that is raised in different ways, in full goes towards the acitivities that the association supports.

Aid projects
The aim of the aid projects is to help children and teenagers with not only education and medical care but also to help integrating children with disabilities into the society. To make sure we invest the funds properly we make project surveys once or twice a year, followed by a project report, depending on the projects nature. Our goal is of course to use all of the collected funds (such as member fees and donations) for the specific projects. Only a small part is used for administration and project surveys. If you want to help us strengthen our possibilities to help, please contact the responsible person (see below).

Sponsorship programmes
The Sponsorship programmes help children in India, Poland, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Close to 1.000 children are supported by a sponsor in Sweden. Some of the sponsored children live in orphanages, institutions or schools and some live at home with their families. There are two different kinds of sponsorship programmes; individual sponsorship and project sponsorship. With an individual sponsorship you receive background information and photos of the child. You help the child with education, books, clothes and food.
With a project sponsorship you support a specific project, i.e. children with disabilities in Vietnam.
Through regular reports from the CAA contact person you get information of the progress both for a specific child and projects. Sometimes you will receive Christmas cards, drawings or letters from the children. If you want to know more, please contact the responsible person (see below).

Members and regions
The members of CAA are spread all over Sweden. Hence the association have a division of many regions. A regional representative keeps in contact with the members in the specific region. The representative arrange meetings, seminars and other activities. They can also support applicants when there are questions concerning the adoption process.
The applicant has an obligation to have a CAA membership during the adoption process i.e. from the time when the initial applicant fee has been paid to the year the child arrives in Sweden. Our aim is that the membership is continued even after the adoption. Through taking part in our member activities it is easy to keep in contact with other families who have adopted children.

Contact us
If you wish to get in contact with us, please use the following alternatives;

International adoptions
Children Above All – Adoptions (Barnen Framför Allt – Adoptioner)
Energigatan 11
SE-434 37 Kungsbacka
Sweden
e-mail: adoption@bfa.se
phone: +46 300 331 31 (phone hours, Mon-Fri 09.30-11.30, Thursdays also 16.30-19.00)
fax: +46 300 331 30

Chairwoman of the board of directors: Mrs Eva Jonasson-Melin
e-mail: eva.jonasson-melin@.bfa.se