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An adult Korean adoptee

Post-Adoption Resources for Korean Adoptees and Families

We stand committed to assisting Korean adoptees and families as they seek answers.

In light of the recent media coverage addressing Korean adoptions, we at Holt International want to acknowledge the many emotions that adoptees and adoptive families may be feeling — whether it’s frustration, anger, confusion, pain or grief. We hear you. We see you. And as many of us are also adoptees or adoptive parents, we are feeling these emotions as well. 

We understand that these issues are complex, nuanced and bring about a lot of confusion. We have long advocated for adoptee voices and experiences to be elevated in the adoption community. And we stand committed to ensuring that adoptees’ perspectives are not only heard but validated.

We at Holt also stand committed to assisting Korean adoptees and adoptive parents with their questions. Here’s how we are helping:

  • Holt staff will respond promptly to individual, personal inquiries to listen to concerns and help answer questions.
  • We will waive fees for adoptees seeking to access their adoption records.  
  • We will advocate with and support Holt Korea for improved response time to post-adoption inquiries – and to help Holt Korea better understand the adult adoptee perspective.

We are also implementing these longer-term changes:

  • We will continue to consult with adult adoptees representing Holt’s board of directors, staff and the broader community to ensure adoptee perspectives are prioritized in Holt’s policies and procedures.
  • We will advise and support Holt Korea and other Korean agencies as they provide services to adoptees.
  • We will inform and educate the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) to better understand providing services relevant and responsive to adoptees.
  • We will meet with members of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Assembly to insist the NCRC is adequately funded to provide the necessary staff who are educated, prepared and committed to providing post-adoption services.

Resources for Adoptees

Our post-adoption services team stands committed to serving all those whose lives have been touched by adoption. We recognize that relinquishment and adoption have lifelong effects. Our team seeks to better understand and address the unique and varied needs of the people we serve. If you are a birth parent, an adoptive parent, an adoptee or someone else affected by adoption, this is the place for you.

Additional Resources for Non-Korean Adoptees

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Did you know Holt provides support to all adoptees?

Every adoptee has a unique and complex life experience. Holt strives to support all adoptees, regardless of their placing agency, by providing help with birth search, citizenship and more.