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Spence-Chain has over 100 years of adoption experience and the longest history of facilitating intercountry adoptions into the United States from South Africa. We have been placing children from South Africa into adoptive families since 2013 and in that time have facilitated over 40 adoptions. Spence-Chapin’s South Africa adoption program is open to adoptive families living throughout the United States.
Since the inception of our South Africa Program, we have partnered with Johannesburg Child Welfare (“JCW”) to facilitate adoptions from South Africa. JCW is a non-profit organization which has been serving children and families in South Africa since 1909. We are proud to partner with JCW and support them in their work on behalf of children.
We also advocate for children who are urgently waiting.
You can complete our FREE application and listen to the South Africa program webinar here.
All families must undergo a home study which is designed to prepare you for adoptive parenthood and assess your ability to parent an adopted child. For families living in New York and New Jersey (within 100 miles of our Manhattan office), Spence-Chapin will complete your home study. For families living outside of that area, you will work with a local agency on your home study and Spence-Chapin will guide that agency to ensure that the home study they prepare meets all of the requirements of South Africa. The home study includes paperwork, clearances, interviews with a social worker, and a home visit.
For all families, Spence-Chapin will provide a pre-adoption training plan which will help you prepare for the unique considerations of adoptive parenthood. Our social workers facilitate trainings on trauma, attachment, bonding, transracial parenting, how to talk to your child about adoption, and more.
After your home study is complete, we will guide you in filing your application with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). All international adoptions are processed through USCIS and therefore in all international adoptions a family’s pre-approval with USCIS after home study is necessary before a family can receive a referral.
Once you have been approved by USCIS, Spence-Chapin will guide you in obtaining all documents required to be submitted to South Africa as part of your “dossier.” Spence-Chapin submits your dossier to Johannesburg Child Welfare and once your dossier is submitted, your officially eligible to receive a referral!
The typical wait time to receive a referral is approximately 12-24 months after submission of your dossier. Families who have a greater openness to more significant special needs and/or age of child may wait shorter. Families who have a very narrow openness to special needs and age of child may wait longer. Our social workers are here to support you during the wait!
Please note, that depending on how long you wait for referral, you may need to complete a home study update and extend your USCIS approval – we will keep track of those timelines and guide you though the process should that be necessary.
Johannesburg Child Welfare issues referrals in consideration of what characteristics your family is open to. When we receive a referral for your family, we will share all information provided with you. A referral will contain photographs of the child, medical information on the child, details of the child’s legal process by which he/she became eligible for international adoption, and any known social information on the biological family. You are welcomed and encouraged to ask any questions you have about the child and information provided before making a decision on whether to accept the referral.
After you accept a referral, there will be further governmental approvals to obtain within South Africa and within the United States before you will travel to meet your child. Spence-Chapin and Johannesburg Child Welfare will ensure that all necessary approvals are obtained. Please anticipate several months between when you accept a referral and when you travel to meet your child. During this time, we will prepare you for travel, meeting your child, and the transition to parenting him or her.
In order to complete the adoption process, adoptive parents must take one trip to South Africa. The trip length is anticipated to be 12+ weeks. Your child will be placed into your custody soon after your arrival to South Africa and you will begin caring for your child 24/7. One week after you have taken custody of your child, you will finalize your adoption in a court in South Africa, accompanied by a JCW social worker.
After your adoption has been finalized, JCW will walk with you through every step of obtaining your child’s passport and visa. Once you have obtained your child’s visa, you will be ready to fly home with your child!
Throughout your whole time in South Africa, Spence-Chapin and JCW social workers are available to you around the clock. A JCW social worker will accompany you to all appointments and make scheduled visits to your family to check-in and offer support.
Within the first 2-4 weeks of your arrival home, a post-adoption home visit will be scheduled by your social worker; this is designed to support your family during this significant transition. Additional post-adoption visits will be conducted at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years post-adoption. These visits are required by the South African Central Authority.
You can complete our FREE application and listen to the South Africa program webinar here.
All families must undergo a home study which is designed to prepare you for adoptive parenthood and assess your ability to parent an adopted child. For families living in New York and New Jersey (within 100 miles of our Manhattan office), Spence-Chapin will complete your home study. For families living outside of that area, you will work with a local agency on your home study and Spence-Chapin will guide that agency to ensure that the home study they prepare meets all of the requirements of South Africa. The home study includes paperwork, clearances, interviews with a social worker, and a home visit.
For all families, Spence-Chapin will provide a pre-adoption training plan which will help you prepare for the unique considerations of adoptive parenthood. Our social workers facilitate trainings on trauma, attachment, bonding, transracial parenting, how to talk to your child about adoption, and more.
After your home study is complete, we will guide you in filing your application with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). All international adoptions are processed through USCIS and therefore in all international adoptions a family’s pre-approval with USCIS after home study is necessary before a family can receive a referral.
Once you have been approved by USCIS, Spence-Chapin will guide you in obtaining all documents required to be submitted to South Africa as part of your “dossier.” Spence-Chapin submits your dossier to Johannesburg Child Welfare and once your dossier is submitted, your officially eligible to receive a referral!
The typical wait time to receive a referral is approximately 24 months after submission of your dossier. Families who have a greater openness to more significant special needs and/or age of child may wait shorter. Families who have a very narrow openness to special needs and age of child may wait longer. Our social workers are here to support you during the wait!
Please note, that depending on how long you wait for referral, you may need to complete a home study update and extend your USCIS approval – we will keep track of those timelines and guide you though the process should that be necessary.
Johannesburg Child Welfare issues referrals in consideration of what characteristics your family is open to. When we receive a referral for your family, we will share all information provided with you. A referral will contain photographs of the child, medical information on the child, details of the child’s legal process by which he/she became eligible for international adoption, and any known social information on the biological family. You are welcomed and encouraged to ask any questions you have about the child and information provided before making a decision on whether to accept the referral.
After you accept a referral, there will be further governmental approvals to obtain within South Africa and within the United States before you will travel to meet your child. Spence-Chapin and Johannesburg Child Welfare will ensure that all necessary approvals are obtained. Please anticipate several months between when you accept a referral and when you travel to meet your child. During this time, we will prepare you for travel, meeting your child, and the transition to parenting him or her.
In order to complete the adoption process, adoptive parents must take one trip to South Africa. The trip length is anticipated to be 12+ weeks. Your child will be placed into your custody soon after your arrival to South Africa and you will begin caring for your child 24/7. One week after you have taken custody of your child, you will finalize your adoption in a court in South Africa, accompanied by a JCW social worker.
After your adoption has been finalized, JCW will walk with you through every step of obtaining your child’s passport and visa. Once you have obtained your child’s visa, you will be ready to fly home with your child!
Throughout your whole time in South Africa, Spence-Chapin and JCW social workers are available to you around the clock. A JCW social worker will accompany you to all appointments and make scheduled visits to your family to check-in and offer support.
Within the first 2-4 weeks of your arrival home, a post-adoption home visit will be scheduled by your social worker; this is designed to support your family during this significant transition. Additional post-adoption visits will be conducted at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years post-adoption. These visits are required by the South African Central Authority.
Did you know that the Adoption Tax Credit is available to families adopting internationally? In 2020, the Adoption Tax Credit was up to $14,300 per child. This tremendously offsets the cost of adoption as most families are eligible.
Additionally, Spence-Chapin partners with the Adoption Finance Coach to provide our families with FREE access to experts, tools and content that can take the worry out of financing your adoption. Families who use Your Adoption Finance Coach typically raise $5,000-$15,000 for their adoptions.
Spence-Chapin is a not-for-profit agency that relies on a combination of fees, grants, and fundraising to support its work in intercountry adoption. We pride ourselves in transparent fee disclosures and the below is provided to help you in planning for your adoption.
Spence-Chapin issues refunds for services not rendered and will issue any refund within 60 days.
Fees are paid in the following categories:
Spence-Chapin’s Professional Services Fees (excluding home study and post-adoption fees, see below) total $15,815 payable in the following installments.
Professional Services Fee Schedule for Local Families | Due | Amount |
First Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due upon signing the Adoption Fee Agreement* | $2,815* |
Second Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due at completion of Spence-Chapin facilitated trainings | $4,500 |
Third Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due at the time of dossier submission | $3,000 |
Fourth Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due at time of acceptance of referral | $5,500 |
*Following receipt of this installment, Spence-Chapin must then render payment of $815 per new case to the Center for Excellence in Adoption Services (“CEAS”) which is the accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to oversee accredited agencies, including Spence-Chapin.
“Networking Families” are families who are adopting through Spence-Chapin’s South Africa program but either live outside of New York or New Jersey, or who live outside of 100 miles of our Manhattan office. In this case, Spence-Chapin oversees your adoption cases, but your home-based services of home study and post-adoption visits are conducted by an agency licensed in your state and close to your home.
For Networking Families, Spence-Chapin’s Professional Services fees total $16,315, payable in the following installments:
Professional Services Fee Schedule for Networking Families | Due | Amount |
First Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due upon signing the Adoption Fee Agreement | $2,815* |
Second Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due at completion of Spence-Chapin facilitated trainings | $5,000 |
Third Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due at time of dossier submission | $3,000 |
Fourth Installment of Professional Services Fee | Due at the time of acceptance of Referral | $5,500 |
*Following receipt of this installment, Spence-Chapin must then render payment of $815 per new case to the Center for Excellence in Adoption Services (“CEAS”) which is the accrediting entity designated by the US Department of State to oversee accredited agencies, including Spence-Chapin.
After you accept the referral of a child, you will be invoiced 54,106 Rand (approximately $4,000 USD depending on exchange rates) for Johannesburg Child Welfare’s program fee. This fee covers all of Johannesburg Child Welfare’s work on your case and your child’s case.
If you discontinue the adoption process after paying the South Africa Program Fee, refunds for services not rendered will be issued within 60 days.
Item | Description | Fee |
Parent Preparation & Training | Adoption Learning Partners Hague Package (5 training courses) and Tough Starts Matter Package (4 training courses) and additional training as assigned by Spence-Chapin or your local agency | $210-$750 |
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services: I-800A | Filing fee and biometrics fee for the I-800A filing | $775 plus $85 per applicant and adult household member |
USCIS I-800A Supplement 3 Extension Paperwork | If you experience a change in your household or if you need to extend your I-800A approval, you will file a Supplement 3 with USCIS. USCIS grants one free extension via Supplement 3 form; any further Supplement 3 filing is charged by USCIS as $385 + $85 per applicant and adult household member | $0-$640 |
Consultations with Specialists | Consults with medical doctor for completion of child medical checklist as well as consultation with medical doctor and other relevant specialists when reviewing a referral | $300-$600 |
Immigration & Documentation subsequent to approval of the I-800 form | This fee includes document expenses including but not limited to the child’s visa, embassy medical appointment, TB testing and child vaccinations, child’s passport, adoption decree, amended birth certificate and identification | $800 |
Documentation Preparation, Processing and Certification | Paid to third parties when preparing dossier; this is the estimated cost a family will spend on notarizations, authentications and apostilles | $400 |
Travel Cost | All families will make a trip of approximately 5-10 weeks to South Africa for the adoption; travel expenses are paid directly by family to various vendors before and during travel, such as: airfare, hotel, food, and transportation. Costs for non-adoption tourism/activities not included in this estimate. | $9,000-$16,000 |
It is estimated that 2.5-5 million children in South Africa have been orphaned. Spence-Chapin is responding to this crisis through comprehensive services to children living in institutional care, and by providing for the concrete needs of vulnerable children in South Africa. Spence-Chapin has the following services in place to serve children in South Africa.
Spence-Chapin’s Granny Program, pairs children living in institutions with “Grannies” who provide them with daily, individualized attention and care. Grannies are trained to meet the developmental needs of children deprived of consistent caregivers and provide the individual love and attention that all children deserve. For four hours each day and five days a week, each Granny focuses on the specific physical, cognitive, and emotional needs of a child they are matched with through direct care, play and skill building exercises that address speech and language development, motor skills enhancement, and attachment. Spence-Chapin founded the Granny Program in South Africa in 2011 at Othandweni Children’s Home and has now brought the Granny Program to four institutions in South Africa, ensuring that all children living in those homes receive the dedicated care of a Granny.
Within four Children’s Homes, Spence-Chapin provides funding for every child to receive a birthday gift and birthday celebration. This means over 200 children each year who are living in institutional care are being recognized and celebrated on their special day. We love receiving photos of each birthday celebration and seeing each child’s face light up!
In 2020, Spence-Chapin secured funding for and oversaw large-scale renovation and refurbishment at Othandweni Children’s Home. Othandweni, which means “Place of Love,” houses 90 children between infancy and age 18. Children come to Othandweni while a permanency plan is made for them; some children will be safely reunified with their biological family, some children will be adopted domestically within South Africa, some children will be adopted internationally, and sadly some children will age-out into independent living. All of these children deserve a safe living environment. The renovations included:
Spence-Chapin sends recuring care packages to ensure that children living in institutional care throughout the greater Johannesburg area have sufficient food, clothing, and hygiene products. As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, we continue to send personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies to the children’s homes.
Spence-Chapin believes that in order to care for the most vulnerable children, we must care for the communities in which they reside. Spence-Chapin has therefore provided funding for services to survivors of family violence within Johannesburg, funding for job skills training for community members and for family counseling centers for families facing crises in the community.
South Africa and the United States are both party to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. This ensures that safeguards are in place throughout every step of the adoption process to ensure that ethical, transparent practices are followed and the best interest of children are preserved. Spence-Chapin is Hague-accredited and has maintained that certification since the onset of such accreditation process. Our partner, JCW, is accredited by the South African Central Authority and earned this designation due to its strict adherence to legal and ethical practice.
Read stories about Spence-Chapin families adopting from South Africa on our blog.
Explore special needs resources for an adoption from South Africa
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