The China Center for Adoption Affairs has announced the creation of a "Special Focus" adoption category, to begin on September 1. In keeping with CCAA's emphasis on placing waiting children (children with identified special needs or older children), Special Focus children are waiting children who have been on the shared list for more than two months.

To expedite the search for families: 1) Adoption service providers will be able to have Special Focus children uniquely assigned to them; 2) prospective adoptive parents will have six months (rather than three) to complete their dossiers and 3) PAPs adopting a Special Focus child may adopt a second child at the same time or in the same year and the second child may be a non-special needs child, waiting child or another Special Focus child. CCAA has in the past heavily discouraged concurrent adoptions. CCAA has also charged ASPs to take the time to find the right family for these children and to make sure the families are prepared for their new child or children.