Adoption Programs

Family & Children’s Agency has been placing U.S. born children with their forever families for nearly 50 years.

Domestic Adoptions

Our program reflects current adoption thought, which maximizes the participation of the adoptive parent and the birth parent in decision-making. We will help families put together a personal adoption profile, that will assist a birth family in learning more about the adoptive families. The birth family will be shown profiles as they work with our specialized counselors to plan for the adoption of their baby. Servicing the emotional and medical needs of the birth parents (through medical care, insurance assistance and counseling) is our first priority. Ultimately these services work to meet the needs of all parties in the adoption process.

There are no waiting lists and placements are based off of a mutual choice between the birth parents and the adoptive parents. We believe that a waiting list is not responsive to the needs of the birth parents, adoptive parents, or the child.

Our adoption social workers and birth parent counselors work closely with prospective adoptive parents and the birth parents to:

Answer questions about a face-to-face meeting
Facilitate the exchange of information at a level comfortable for you
Arrange interim care if needed
Arrange for the baby’s placement into the adoptive home
Provide comprehensive services to birth parents during and after the adoption process
Ensure that all parties legal rights are protected

Program Details:

Children Available	Newborns
Cost	Please see our fee schedule and reach out to us directly with any specific questions.
Parents' Age	We do not have specific age limits, however, keep in mind that birth parents select the applicant and may have certain preferences for age.
Marriage	All applicants will be considered
Same Sex Couples	May adopt
Divorcees	May adopt
Singles	May adopt
Families with Children	May adopt
Time frame	Varies as there are many different factors that may go into the birth parents’ decision.
Travel Requirements	None
Special Features of FCA's Program	We do not use a chronological waiting list. Placements are made on the basis of mutual choice. In Connecticut, our staff is able to arrange for the completion of the necessary documents to finalize an adoption. We provide advice with networking and advertising, should you wish to do it. Experienced birth parent counselors provide feedback and support as you go through the process of selecting a birth parent.

For more information about “open” and “closed” adoptions and choosing a birth mother, read our Frequently Asked Questions.

South Korea Adoptions

Family & Children’s Agency began adoptions in South Korean in 1982 and since, has placed more than 3,000 children with their forever families throughout the United States. Our program holds an active Hague Accreditation through the Council on Accreditation since 2008.

Experts in South Korean Adoptions

The Agency’s work in South Korea is anchored by a collaborative relationship with Korea Welfare Services (KWS), one of three private child placement agencies in South Korea. KWS' professionalism and social work process ensures that infants are nurtured in private foster care and receive regular medical attention of the highest quality. We have found that KWS gives exceptional services to the birth mothers and infants in their care. Our staff visits the foster and baby reception homes affiliated with our programs in South Korea at least once a year.

Travel changes due to COVID-19: Due to COVID-19, only one trip to South Korea for approximately seven weeks is needed following proper quarantine protocols in country. For the most updated travel requirements, please contact our South Korea Program Manager Darlene Cirilli at DCirilli@fcagency.org or (203) 523-5744.

Program Details:

Children Available	Infant boys and girls (more boys than girls are available for Korean adoption); usually arriving in the U.S. approximately at 15 to 21 months of age. Important Note: The infant’s gender may not be specified for first adoption.
Cost	Please see our fee schedule and reach out to us directly with any specific questions.
Parents' Age	Couples between the ages of 25 and 44 and 11 months (at the time of paperwork submission to KWS). Couples who have adopted previously from South Korea, or include a spouse of Korean heritage, may apply for an age waiver to extend their eligibility up to the age of 50.
Marriage	Must be married for at least three (3) years
Divorce	May apply if only one divorce by either applicant
Singles	Not eligible
Families with Children	Up to four children in the home
Other Requirements	Korea has strict requirements related to physical health, mental health, and your body mass index. Please contact Family & Children’s Agency for a full list of requirements and to be pre-screened.
Time frame	Families are receiving referrals approximately 1-12 months after their home study packet is received by KWS. Families travel to Korea to receive their children 9-12 months from the time of accepting their child’s referral.
Travel Requirements to Korea	Families are required to travel twice to Korea. The first trip will be for a court hearing, the second trip is to take custody of the child and attend a Visa hearing. Each trip is approximately 1-week long. During these trips they will meet their child, child’s caseworker and foster parents.
Special Features of FCA's Program	Children are in individual foster care (not orphanages) while they await adoption. Each referral contains some medical information on the child. If requested by a physician, additional information may be able to be obtained. We provide educational classes focusing on raising children born in Asia.

The Korean Adoption Process:

Home Study

Connecticut and New York residents should apply for a home study with Family & Children’s Agency.

Out-of-state adoptive parents need to obtain a home study from a licensed, Hague Accredited agency in their state. We will assist you in finding an appropriate agency.

Immigration Forms

Once the home study is completed, parents will apply to (USCIS) United States Citizenship and Immigration Service for permission to bring a child into the U.S.

This involves obtaining and filing the I-600 A Form and arranging for a fingerprinting appointment. Our agency assists you with this step and makes sure you feel prepared and organized.

Referral and Travel

Family & Children’s Agency will send your home study packet to SWS in Korea. The waiting time for a referral is 1 to 12 months.

Families receive medical and social history on the child and the birth family, as well as photos of the child.

After you accept your referral, you can expect to travel for your first visit in approximately 1 to 12 months; however, this time frame can vary. Our Korea program staff provides extensive preparation for each step of the travel process.

Follow Up

Follow-up support for the family will be provided by the home study agency in the family’s state of residence. This consists of four post-placement visits over a 1 year period to help with the child's adjustment.

Hague Accreditation information: Upon request, we can provide service policy contracts, the number of placements per year for the prior 3 calendar years, the number of placements that remain intact, the number of families who apply to adopt each year, and the number of waiting children eligible for adoption. You may request this information from any Hague-accredited agency as stipulated by the Hague Convention.

If you are interested in learning more about this program, please reach out to Darlene Cirilli, South Korea Program Coordinator for an updated brochure.

Complete a Home Study

No matter which type of adoption you choose to pursue, all prospective adoptive parents must have a home or family study completed to proceed with an adoption plan. The home study process involves adoptive-parent specific education and preparation and gathering of required information about the prospective adoptive parents.

The Home Study Process: When Adopting From Inside CT And NY

Family & Children’s Agency can provide home study services for Connecticut and New York residents.

An adoption home study is not a study of your home as the name may lead. The home study is a document that is required by you residential state, the state in which you plan to adopt, Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and all international countries. Your completed home study signifies that you and your partner are approved prospective adoptive parents by our agency, a licensed child-placing agency in CT and NY.

Family & Children’s Agency’s home study process involves a dialogue between prospective adoptive parents and our trained, experienced adoption professionals. It is a time for answering your questions and providing individualized support. Our adoption professionals also offer:

Pre-adoptive counseling to help you select the best adoption plan for you
Educational opportunities to help you prepare to be an adoptive parent
Individualized assistance in creating a personal adoption profile to be reviewed by prospective birth parents (Domestic Adoption only)
Unique references to books and webpages on adoption for you and your child

Family & Children's Agency requires that all potential adoptive families:

Attend two meetings in one of our offices

Have one visit at your home

Attend Adoption 101 (a 6-hour day of adoption education and training provided by agency social work staff, adult adoptees and families who have successfully FCA's adoption process.)

Important Note: If you are considering international adoption, these requirements may vary based on the country you choose to adopt from.

Adopting Outside of CT or NY

If you are interested in one of our adoption programs, call or e-mail us directly to discuss your situation. We will help to put you in touch with an agency in your state that has experience conducting home studies for international or domestic adoptions.
An international home study must comply with the Immigration standards of the country you are choosing to adopt from, so that the adoptive parent can obtain a visa to bring a child into the U.S. The home study must also comply with the particular requirements of the foreign country that you choose to adopt from. If you are planning on adopting through our Korea program, your local agency will do your home study according to the regulations of your state. During that process, a Program Coordinator at Family & Children’s Agency will be working with you on your dossier. Post-placement support is done by the agency in your state.
A domestic home study must comply with your state’s standards, as well as the standards of Connecticut and/or New York in the case of an interstate placement.

Important Note: Only agencies who are licensed and accredited, such as Family & Children’s Agency, can make child placements. Family & Children’s Agency, has the resources to legally transfer a specific child from the biological parent to the adoptive parent or KWS in South Korea to the adoptive parent.

Post-placement Services

After home study completion and when a child placed in your home, you will begin the post-placement process of your adoption. The agency that completed your home study is the same agency that will complete your post-placement reports. These reports vary in frequency and length based on adoption location. Each country and state has their own post-placement report requirements.

Even after your post-placement reports are completed and your adoption in finalized, Family & Children’s Agency is always available to support you. We provide the following services and resources:

Support and confidential counseling as your child grows
Annual social events and educational seminars
Agency newsletters, notices of workshops, play group networking, and parent activities

Post Adoption Support

Family & Children’s Agency works with the Adoption Assistance Program (AAP) at the University of Connecticut Health Center to offer post-adoption support to families.

The Adoption Assistance Program is a confidential assessment, brief counseling and referral service available to all adoptive families.

The AAP recognizes adoption is a lifelong process and while it is a wonderful way to build a family, families may face challenges. If you have a simple question or are seeking support around something more difficult, AAP is available to help.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON AAP

For more information on the Adoption Assistance Program, visit the AAP web site or call (877) 679-1961.