Spence-Chapin

Adoption Service and Caring Since 1908

Korea | Adoption Programs | Spence-Chapin Adoption Services
http://www.spence-chapin.org/adoption-programs/countries/b3_korea.php

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International Programs At-a-Glance
 
 

Resource Library

The Adoption Resource Library contains recomended books and articles by adoption professionals, birth parents, adoptive parents and adopted children, who share their unique insights.

Inside Transracial Adoption
Gail Steinberg & Beth Hall

Pro-active and provocative guidance for parents who are considering transracial adoption. Whether through domestic or international adoption, the authors offer direction for building close, loving and very real families comprised of individuals who are proud and culturally competent members of differing races.

 
Raising Adopted Children
Lois Melina

Considered a manual for adoptive parents, this book covers many aspects of the adoption experience for parents and those affected by adoption. Useful tips on how to approach several developmental stages are offered, including specific attention to special needs children.

 

 

SPENCE-CHAPIN, WORKING WITH KOREA since 1975, has placed more than 2600 children with adoptive families in the U.S. We have a long-standing relationship with the Social Welfare Society (SWS) that goes back to the inception of the program. South Korea is located in East Asia with a population of nearly 50 million people. Most people live in urban areas, and Seoul, its capital, is one of the largest cities in the world. It is a beautiful country with mountains, valleys, rolling hills, and spacious plains. Korea has a thriving economy and is considered one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. The standard of living is high, and health and education are extremely important. South Korea was one of the first countries to implement an international adoption program in response to societal stigma associated with unwed mothers.

Program Criteria

  • Married couples over 25 and under 44-years-old at the time of application submission to Korea. SWS prefers to work with couples where the wife is no more than 7 years older than the husband and the husband is no more than 10 years older than the wife.
  • Couples must be married for at least 3 years at the time of application.
  • No current medical conditions, chronic illnesses, infectious or degenerative diseases, or severe deformities of applicants. Chronic medical issues including major surgeries, neurological issues, and orthopedic issues will be considered on an individual basis. Stable and mild conditions, such as migraines, allergies, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, asthma, and benign heart conditions where no treatment is recommended are generally allowed. Applicants must have a BMI of 30 or less.
  • Applicants should be in good mental health, have never taken psychotropic medication, and cannot have had a mental health diagnosis or have been hospitalized for a mental health condition. A past history of counseling around infertility, bereavement, or an isolated incident is general allowed and is considered on an individual basis.
  • No arrest history, though very minor, isolated incidents may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Applicants’ current financial situation will be reviewed by SWS, and family must prove their income is above the U.S. poverty guidelines.
  • No more than 5 children (including adopted child) under the age of 18 may be in the family. Applicants cannot have adopted more than one child from a country other than Korea, and children should be physically and emotionally healthy.
  • Both applicants should have high school diplomas or equivalency.
  • Applicants practicing Judeo-Christian religions are encouraged to apply; all other religions are considered individually.

Children in Need of Homes

Children of both genders are in need of homes, though there are more boys than girls. Children generally arrive home at 8 to 12-months-old, with older children and sibling groups not available through this program. Adopting a child with an identified special need may be possible. Infants typically spend their first 4 to 5 months in an excellent institutional care setting, thereafter entering foster care until they are ready to travel to the U.S.

Timing and Travel: From Application to Homecoming

  • Timing: The current wait for a referral after your dossier is sent to Korea is usually 6 to 8 months, though it can be shorter depending on your openness to medical issues.
  • Referral: At the time of referral, you will receive photographs and social, developmental, and medical reports on the child who has been matched with your family.
  • Travel: One or both members of a couple are required to travel to Korea approximately 4 months after acceptance of referral. This trip typically lasts about 1 week and is spent in Seoul. When in Korea, you are guided through all adoption-related activities by the bilingual staff of SWS. During this trip you will also have an opportunity to meet the foster family who cared for your child.
  • Post Adoption: Korean adoptions are finalized in the U.S. court system approximately 1 year after placement, which will be facilitated by Spence-Chapin and an attorney. Before you can begin the finalization process, SWS requires 3 reports within 6 months after placement. Both reports are written by the social worker based on either a home or office visit with your family. For out-of-state families, the local agency provides these. On-going support through the Spence-Chapin Adoption Resource Center is available throughout the lifetime of your family and is free for one year following the adoption.

Families Outside of the NY/NJ Metro Area

Spence-Chapin welcomes families outside of our direct New York/New Jersey metropolitan service area to adopt through our program in Korea. Spence-Chapin collaborates with other reputable agencies around the U.S. For more information about networking and a list of Spence-Chapin Network Agencies, click on the link or contact our International Inquiry Coordinator at 212-400-8150.

Summer Programs

Spence-Chapin coordinates an annual summer Roots Family Tour. This 13-day trip is specially designed for children and young adults of Korean heritage to visit the country of their birth with their adoptive families. An experienced social worker and an English-speaking Korean travel guide accompany the tour group. To receive a brochure or for more information, contact Namyi Min, Korean program coordinator, at 212-360-0292 or nmin@spence-chapin.org.

Through a special grant, Spence-Chapin has a Korean Summer Internship Program that allows two of our young adult adoptees to spend a month exploring Korea and working with SWS in a baby home.

Spence-Chapin also assists adoptees in applying for a three week intensive Korean Language and Culture Program at Kyung Hee University in Seoul. A partial scholarship funded by SWS and the Korean government is available and covers tuition and housing expenses. The program provides a wonderful opportunity to live in Seoul and experience the university setting.

Applicants may apply for either or both programs and must have been adopted from Korea through the Spence-Chapin program with SWS. For more information or to update your address, contact Merri Robinson at 212-360-0250 or mrobinson@spence-chapin.org.

Humanitarian Aid to Korea

Spence-Chapin provides consistent financial donations to our Korean partner agency, Social Welfare Society, in support of their programs that offer counseling to birth families, care for children with special needs, and much needed support to young mothers who wish to parent their children. The agency’s support also helped to facilitate the construction of a Guest House where adult adoptees and adoptive parents stay when visiting South Korea.

To learn more about our humanitarian aid programs and how you can support them, please view our Helping Children Abroad page.

Cost Guidelines

There are several categories of fees and expenses that adoptive families should anticipate when considering an international adoption. For an explanation of these, please refer to the Understanding Fees and Expenses page. Included in these fees is a separate foreign country program fee which varies. For Korea it is $16,540.

Celebration for Children Adopted Internationally

Every year the agency hosts parties for Spence-Chapin families formed through international adoption. Families come together to celebrate with traditional food, crafts, and entertainment, which offers children an opportunity to explore their common heritage. For information about this year's celebration, please contact Heather at 212-360-0274 or hluboff@spence-chapin.org. SWS website: http://www.sws.or.kr/english/sub_02g.php

 
 

Korea's

Special Needs Center

Photo Greetings from the little ones at the Amsa Rehabilitation Center in South Korea, which cares for children with special needs.
410 East 92nd Street, NY 10128 212.369.0300 Additional Offices in Hauppauge, LI and Summit, NJ

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