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LA Korean foster family initiative continues strong

October 22, 2015

(Courtesy of KFAM)

By The Korea Times Los Angeles staff

Children in Los Angeles County are continuing to find homes thanks to the Korean Foster Family Initiative.

The program, now nearly two years old, has helped 21 families become certified foster homes this year, 14 of which have already taken in Korean children, according to Korean American Family Services.

Since its launch, 11 Korean children have gone through a foster home under the program; six have been adopted.

They’re success stories that have drawn increasing attention from potential foster parents in the local community.

Before the program’s launch, no other service in the county had given focus to the lack of Korean homes available to young children who needed familiarity in culture in language.

KFAM and the Department of Children and Family Services, which jointly launched KFFI, never expected this kind of enthusiastic turnout.

The initiative’s first set of information sessions, held early last year, drew 535 interested Korean Americans.

Since then, KFFI has birthed a diverse set of foster parents, from those in their 20s to retired couples in their 60s who have already raised a generation of their own children.

According to KFAM, there were 35,143 children under age 18 under DCFS care as of September this year. About 800 were Asian.

“We see children who are sent into healthy foster homes become more confident,” said Estee Song, initiative project manager.