Spence-Chapin Adoption Services to Families and Children
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Contact Information
410 East 92nd Street
3rd floor
New York, NY 10128
United States
Online Contact Form
3rd floor
New York, NY 10128
United States
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 9 AM-5 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM-5 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM-5 PM |
| Thursday | 9 AM-5 PM |
| Friday | 9 AM-5 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Spence-Chapin is an accredited nonprofit organization that has been offering quality adoption services for more than 100 years. Our mission is to find adoptive homes for children in need here and in countries around the world.
Spence-Chapin’s roots can be traced to the early 1900s and the pioneering work of Clara Spence, and Dr. and Mrs. Henry Chapin, who independently established nurseries out of concern for homeless infants abandoned in hospitals and shelters. The Spence and Chapin nurseries each broke new ground in developing social work techniques for adoption and, after the merger, continued to pioneer in the adoption field.
Today, Spence-Chapin is proud of our role as a prominent voice and leading advocate for adoption, and of our commitment to the well being of all members of the adoption triad: birth parents, adoptive parents, and their children.
Services and information
- Adoption
- Other
Requirements to become a foster parent
Raising foster children is a rewarding and life-changing experience. You can make a real difference in a child's life, helping them on a path toward success.
Remember that fostering affects the whole family, so talk to your partner and biological children if you're considering this journey. Learn more about what to expect and ensure it fits your lifestyle. You must be healthy and have enough time and energy to care for a child and meet their needs. This is important for gaining foster parent approval because every child must have this foundation of support.
Each state has requirements for foster parents. In New York, applicants must:
- Be 21 years of age or older
- Live in a safe and stable environment
- Have enough space for a foster child
- Show financially stability
- Prove that all family members are in good health
- Pass a background check
- Clear a home safety inspection
- Attend required foster parent training
- Complete the Home Study process
- Provide a minimum of three character references
Foster families in New York can rent or own their homes. Adults can become foster parents no matter their marital or divorce status. All adults who are living in the home with foster children must pass the New York required criminal background check. Every adult must complete both state and federal background checks and undergo fingerprinting.
Interested candidates can make the first call to foster services and get the approval and licensing process started. Contact the New York Office of Children and Family Services (NYOCFS) or your local Department of Social Services (DSS). The first step after expressing interest will be to attend a foster orientation. Potential foster parents can learn about the approval process at the event and get questions answered by a foster child advocate.
The foster parent training requirement begins with pre-service training. After getting licensed, foster parents must participate in ongoing training and educational programs.
Ratings and Reviews
Average user rating
3.9 / 5| 5 | |
| 4 | |
| 3 | |
| 2 | |
| 1 |
Feb 22, 2022
My story is very unique. I can speak from both sides of the fence.
In 1969 I gave my son up for adoption and in 1986 I adopted my daughter. Both took place through Spence.
In 1969, I was 14. Abortions were illegal . I stayed in a home for unwed mothers, had my baby and Signed release papers 3 months later. I was later informed that my son had been placed. Closed adoptions were the only option. I wrote several letters and sent him a gold cross. I never heard anything.
In 1985 my husband and I started an adoption process, after a vigorous background check we were finally approved. In less than 6 months we received our daughter understanding that we could not finalize the adoption for 6 months. At about the 4.5 month a man pops up who claimed to be the husband of the birth mother. What?? We were told that she was single. After many months of him claiming that he and his mother could provide for the child, he disappeared. Our daughter was about 3 when we finalized her adoption.
It has been a bumpy road raising someone with a different DNA but we have made it. She is now a lovely woman with a son of her own. And for my son, with his determination and the help of Spence and Ancestry, he found me in January of 2020. Both of his adoptive parents are deceased
He and I have the best relationship.
I rated a 3 because I feel that Spences research on
the background of the individuals involved was not thorough.This is a picture of my biological son and my adoptive daughter and my husband and I.
Oct 17, 2020
Our family used Spence-Chapin from 2014-2017 as our home study agency to adopt three times from China. We are a large family with Christian religious beliefs, and though we might not be a ‘typical’ family that Spence is used to working with, we were treated respectfully and we never felt judged. Our social worker, Lauren Jiang, was professional, thorough, and always went the extra mile to get things done in a timely manner exceptionally well. We moved from NY, otherwise we would use them again for our current Bulgarian adoption. We highly recommend this agency- don’t believe the false information from some of the other reviews. Spence was the agency that picked up the pieces after the horrific twin separations, not the ones involved in the practice. Thanks to Spence-Chapin, three of our children are now in a forever family, and we are continually blessed to call them sons and daughters!
Jun 24, 2020
I can't get any sleep. Wondering if I have a twin out there. 1964 is my birth year. I would like help in obtaining a birth certificate. Never had one. Getting any type of ID is like pulling a tooth. Please point me in the right direction for assistance
Jun 15, 2020
Back in 2000, my now ex wife and I were in the process of adopting a baby boy from South Korea. Everything was going as planned and we even received our son on March 9 of that year. Fast forward to late July and we got a phone call from our case worker saying that the teenaged birth parents came forward and decided they wanted him back. Sadly, because we hadn't officially legalized the adoption yet, they were still within their rights. We were actually forced to drive all the way into the city and drop off the baby like he was a parcel package. They gave us a moment to say goodbye and that was it. We hired an attorney who specializes in adoption cases and we were told not to drag the so called good name of this agency through the mud. I will never ever recommend this agency to anyone looking to adopt internationally. Over $20,000 dollars down the drain. Twenty years later, still thanks for nothing.
Mar 26, 2019
Clean. Friendly. I went to a meeting of mother's who talk about what they feel later about their child being adopted. Nice staff. Located on the east side of Manhattan.