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:
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Children Available
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Newborns
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Cost
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Please see our fee schedule and reach out to us directly with any
specific questions.
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Parents' Age
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We do not have specific age limits, however, keep in mind that birth parents select the applicant and may have certain preferences for age.
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| Marriage |
All applicants will be considered |
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Same Sex Couples
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May adopt
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Divorcees
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May adopt
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Singles
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May adopt
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Families with Children
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May adopt |
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Time frame
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Varies as there are many different factors that may go into the birth parents’ decision.
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Travel Requirements
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None
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| 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: Families can now expect two one-week trips with with three and a half weeks in between. There is currently a mandatory 7-day quarantine upon entry for travelers who are unvaccinated or who do not register their vaccination status prior to entering Korea, which must be considered.
For updated travel concerns and requirements, please contact our South Korea Program Manager, Darlene Cirilli at DCirilli@fcagency.org or (203) 523-5744.
Program Details:
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Children Available
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Infant boys and girls (more boys than girls are available for Korean adoption); usually arriving in the U.S. approximately at 15 to 36 months of age.
Important Note: The infant’s gender may not be specified.
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Cost
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Please see our fee schedule and reach out to us directly with any
specific questions.
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Parents' Age
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Couples between the ages of 25 and 41 (at the time of paperwork submission to KWS). At this time, South Korea is no longer accepting age waivers. |
| Marriage |
Must be married for at least three (3) years |
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Divorce
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May apply if only one divorce by either applicant
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Singles
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Not eligible |
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Families with Children
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Up to three children in the home
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| 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. |
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Time frame
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Families are receiving referrals approximately 12-24 months after their home study packet is received by KWS. Families travel to Korea to receive their children 9-18 months from the time of accepting their child’s referral. |
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Travel Requirements to Korea
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Families are required to travel to South Korea as part of their adoption process. Due to COVID-19, the most up-to-date information on travel requirements can be found by contacting the South Korea Program Manager Darlene Cirilli at DCirilli@fcagency.org or (203) 523-5744. |
| 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 South Korea. |
The Korean Adoption Process:
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.
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.
Family & Children’s Agency will send your home study packet to KWS in Korea. The waiting time for a referral is 12 to 36 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 in approximately 9 to 18 months; however, this time frame can vary. Our Korea program staff provides extensive preparation for each step of the travel process.
Follow-up support for the family will be provided by the home study agency in the family’s state of residence.
This consists of six 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 your 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.
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 Post-Adoption Services.
The agency that completed your home study is the same agency that will complete your post-adoption reporting process. These reports vary in frequency and length based on adoption location. Each country and state has their own post-adoption reports.
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: