The number of older-child adoptions is on the rise. In fact, of the nearly 8,700 international adoptions that took place last year, more than half were between the ages of 1 and 4, and nearly a quarter were between the ages of 5 and 12. This new image of adoption—due in large part to the 2008 ratification of the Hague Adoption Convention—presents new challenges for families looking to expand or start a family.