Guidelines for Birth Family Search (Reposted)

The Korean War Baby reposts this earlier post (with links to four major Adoption Agencies) in light of the recent cutbacks by the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs on supporting certain NGOs on Birth Family Searches. Apparently the cutbacks do NOT affect the four major Adoption Agencies own Post Adoption Services nor K-Care (which is being developed to be the central authority on Adoption for the government in accordance with preparations to be able to sign the Hague Conventions on Adoption).


Korean War Baby

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GuidelinesBirthFamilySearch


Guideline for Post-Adoption Services (Family Search)

Division of Family Support
The Ministry for Health, Welfare,
and Family Affairs

These are the basic guidelines from the Korean Government. Any Korean Adoptee, Adoptive Parent/family, Birth Family members, adoption professionals should go and copy this to their PDF files. This will help to understand the standardization that is being attempted to use the same forms, and is a step in the right direction.

REMEMBER IF YOU ARE A KOREAN ADOPTEE, Maybe you are NOT ready yet to search but REQUESTING your files may help you to understand your circumstances better. You may then decide to make further steps to try to make contact. Study and read, TALK with friends and Adoptive Family about what you FEEL and your thoughts. BE OPEN, for you own sake and your loved ones. Special Note: Ask for scans of Korean documents as these sometimes provide information that is not translated. Get your own sources for translation (go to a local Korean church) because it is better to have two opinions on things.

Pg. 6

2. Application Process

• Adoptees or adoptive parents who live overseas may request a birth family search from the central authority of the adoptive country or their co-operating agencies, or request through KCARE or the adoption agencies in Korea.
• Adoptees or adoptive parents who live in Korea may request a birth family search from the adoption agencies, or from KCARE if information from the agencies are insufficient.

Required Documents :
- Post-adoption services application form,
- Adoptee's ID card (e.g. passport, driver's license),
- Adoptive parents' ID cards, and a parental consent form (for adoptees under 18)
- Photograph of the requester(taken within the last 6 months),
- Other related documents and pictures from the original adoption that might help with the birth family search.
Note THIS on Pages 7-8:
4. Deadlines and Notifications

• A. Disclosure at the Beginning of Application
  KCARE and the adoption agencies should disclose the following items to the requester at the beginning of the service :
• Service may be limited when it is difficult to locate an adoption
  triad(adoptee, adoptive family, or birth family) or when a triad (member) does not wish to be contacted (e.g. phone calls, mails, etc).
• If an adoption triad(adoptee, adoptive family, or birth family) has been notified of a search and does not wish to be contacted or be reunited, no additional request will be made until the refusing entity changes his/her mind.
• No information will be released when the birth family or adoptive family did not authorize the release of their information at the time of the adoption.

Page 8: Application for Post-Adoption Services
This is the form that is used by all Adoption Agencies Post Adoption Services sections.
NOTE: THEY DO NOT REQUIRE but it is a good idea to have the document taken to a Notary Public with Identifying documents. A scan of your PASSPORT, Driver’s Licence, or other ID with Photo and signature should be sent also.
KCare is the Korean Central Adoption Resources quasi-government entity that has been working for just over a year. Remember that they have only a few facts digitized on cases, what they will do is help to direct to the main Adoption Agencies. IF YOU KNOW THE ADOPTION AGENCY, just GO directly to their Post Adoption Services section:
Social Welfare Society (SWS) Post Adoption Services
Korean Social Services (KSS) Post Adoption Services
Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) Post Adoption Services
Holt-Korea Post Adoption Services


In turn the orphanage/baby home/etc. that one was FIRST brought to will be contacted. Your files should have that information in them. However, do remember that sometimes the orphanage or home has closed and some records may or may not be included. You will be told what happened to the orphanage or home.


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K-Care
"Korea Central Adoption Resources" 

Try these links for Birth Family Search (IF you know the Adoption Agency that processed your adoption from Korea go directly to them. For information on the process check these links out. It is a standardized method that the Korean government is using.)  KWB

 

webzine.kcare.or.kr/eng_Kcare_1003/
K-Care Birth Family Searches

Download #1: 입양사후관리지침(영문)_090806.pdf Download: 6

Guideline for Post-Adoption Services (Family Search)

Aug. 6. 2009

Division of Family Support
The Ministry for Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs

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The Korean War Baby notes this:

In light of the current cutbacks from the Min. of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs- We wonder WHEN WILL K-CARE get its act together and become what it is supposed to be...The central authority on Adoption. Nothing has been updated for months and if they are to truly be the Central Authority then they must do things better, advertise their services, provide more information, etc.

Send your thoughts to them at 

kcare@kcare.or.kr

 

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