Comprehensive support programs
Background to the service
“St. Lucy Center of Adoption Services” was established by Mrs. Li-Fen Huang in 1982 to provide single mothers with assistance and support. During 1991, the Bishop of Tainan Catholic Diocese invited Good Shepherd Sisters to provide support for these philanthropic tasks. When Mrs. Huang passed away in 1992, Good Shepherd Sisters took over the management and administration of this organization. Since then, Tainan Good Shepherd Services have tried their best to provide quality services to help people in these challenging situations. It is hoped that new lives can always be welcomed and protected.
The services offered
1. Nin-shin Family
Nin-shin Family provides single young pregnant women with a safe and undisclosed shelter. As they await delivery of their babies, these young women are provided with not only board and lodging but also courses and programs integrated from diverse resources to stimulate their self-esteem, develop living skills, and enhance positive physical and psychological development. We provide single mothers and their family members as well as significant others with prenatal/postnatal hospital referral services, career planning services, family relationship counseling services, and child placement services. Moreover, we advocate concern and proper caring for them through providing education to the wider community: teenagers, teachers, community, and the public.
2. Babies Home
We provide babies up to 2 years old with 24 hours daily care and health services. We provide for the needs of babies given birth by single mothers who choose to relinquish custody to others, and other abandoned babies. The goals of service are:
- To provide babies with a safe and comfortable living environment;
- To locate suitable adoptive families for babies;
- To assist biological families to recover from their loss; and
- To offer legal adopting channels and accurate adopting values.
3. Adoption Services
Unfortunately, children may need to be adopted for various reasons. We, however, hope that children can grow up in a secure family where they receive enormous warmth and affection. Adoption is a good way to find a ‘forever’ home for these children. Through legal adoption services, we locate loving adoptive parents to offer a permanent home to the children.
We also assist those families who need to relinquish custody and want to have their children (up to age 12) adopted. Abandoned babies, orphans, or children from a family encountering unforeseen misfortune and not restorable as referred by the government sector are also included in our adoptive services. Considering adoptee’s best interest, we help the adoptive parents to understand adoption and all that they need to do to prepare.
Referrals and application criteria
An adoptive family who lives overseas must be referred to our institution through other collaborating institutions in advance. An adoptive family can start applying for adoption only when it is fully qualified through eligibility procedures.
For more information
For more information, please contact Tainan Babies Home of Good Shepherd Social Welfare Foundation at +886-6-2344009.