Important Note: Family & Children’s Agency is not currently accepting new applications for our South Korea adoption program.
Family & Children’s Agency began adoptions in South Korea 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.
| Children Available | Most children are referred for adoption between the ages of 6 to 24 months and usually arrive in the United States at 15 to 48 months of age. Important Note: The infant’s gender may not be specified. |
| Cost | Please see our fee schedule and reach out to us directly with any specific questions. |
| Time frame | Families are receiving referrals approximately 12-36 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. |
| Travel Requirements to South Korea | Families are required to travel to South Korea as part of their adoption process. Contact us below for more information. |
| 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
| Home Study | Connecticut and New York residents who reside within a two hour drive of our Harrison, NY office can apply for a home study with Family & Children’s Agency. |
| Immigration Forms | Once the home study is approved, 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-600A/I800 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 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 | 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 contact us below.
