Foster Care Agencies Hong Kong: Which NGO Should You Apply Through?

Most guides to Hong Kong foster care tell you to contact the Social Welfare Department. That is accurate but incomplete. The SWD's Central Foster Care Unit maintains the central register and handles matching, but the actual recruitment, home study, training, and ongoing support for the majority of foster families is delivered by a network of 11 accredited NGOs.

Choosing which NGO to approach first is not a minor administrative decision. It affects the language of your assessment, the speed of the process, the demographic profile of children you will be matched with, and the quality of post-placement support you receive. Here is what you need to know about each of the main organisations.

How the System Works

The SWD and the NGO network operate in parallel. You can apply through the Central Foster Care Unit directly, or through one of the authorised NGOs. In practice, most applicants are redirected from the SWD to an NGO for the actual assessment and training process. The SWD then handles matching: once you are approved, the Central Foster Care Unit draws from the central register to identify a child whose needs fit your approved profile.

The NGO that assessed you remains your support organisation throughout the placement. They conduct regular home visits, provide access to training, handle administrative matters like allowance payments, and are your first call when something goes wrong.

Po Leung Kuk (保良局)

Best for: Cantonese-speaking families; those who want institutional stability and a broad network.

Po Leung Kuk — the name translates as "protecting the young and the innocent" — was founded in 1878 and is the largest and most historically established player in Hong Kong child welfare. It operates an extensive network of ordinary and emergency foster care services alongside residential homes and small group homes.

For the traditional local applicant, PLK offers scale, historical trust, and a comprehensive continuum of care. If a child's needs change during a placement, PLK's broad infrastructure means there is usually an in-house solution rather than a transfer to another organisation.

The limitation for non-Cantonese speakers: PLK's information sessions and a significant portion of their written materials are primarily in Cantonese. English-speaking applicants may find the process less accessible than through ISS-HK. That said, PLK does have English-capable social workers; it is worth asking directly.

Contact: 66 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2882 9933

International Social Service Hong Kong Branch (ISS-HK)

Best for: Expats; non-permanent residents; English-speaking or Mandarin-speaking applicants; families with complex residency situations; cases involving intercountry elements.

ISS-HK is the most accessible entry point for Hong Kong's international community. Established in 1958, the branch specialises in cases involving non-local residents, migrants, cross-border families, and children whose situations require international coordination. Their team works in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese — all three, not as an afterthought.

If you are on an employment visa, arrived under a talent admission scheme, or have lived in multiple countries and need to discuss overseas criminal record checks, ISS-HK has handled every version of this before. They also run a specific programme supporting South Asian and Southeast Asian families, both as potential foster carers and as children in need of culturally matched placements.

For the English-speaking applicant who has been putting off enquiring because the system seems designed for Cantonese speakers, ISS-HK is the right starting point.

Contact: 6/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 2834 6863

Mother's Choice (母親的抉擇)

Best for: Families interested in caring for infants or very young children; those open to a pathway toward adoption; families seeking early-intervention placements.

Mother's Choice is the most internationally visible of Hong Kong's foster care NGOs, known for advocacy, community campaigns, and its "Project Bridge" programme, which focuses on children aged 0–2 who need immediate family placement. The organisation's mission is to minimise the time infants spend in the residential care system by moving them rapidly into foster or adoptive homes.

If your primary motivation is caring for babies and toddlers — the demographic most urgently in need of family-based care — Mother's Choice should be your first call. They are also the organisation most explicitly oriented toward adoption-ready pathways, though as with any HK foster care organisation, the foster-to-adopt transition involves a separate legal process.

Mother's Choice operates in a trilingual environment and has a well-documented English-language onboarding process. Their recruitment materials, training resources, and support documentation are among the most accessible in the sector.

Contact: motherschoice.org — contact through their website's foster care section

Hong Kong Family Welfare Society (HKFWS)

Best for: Grassroots families in the community; sole carers; those who value neighbourhood-level support.

HKFWS takes a family-centric approach to foster care that distinguishes it from the larger, more institutionally oriented organisations. Their foster care programme emphasises carer wellbeing alongside child welfare — they run events specifically recognising long-serving foster parents, and their social workers take a more pastoral approach to ongoing support.

HKFWS operates in primarily Cantonese but has some English capacity. For a local family that wants close, neighbourhood-level support rather than a large-organisation experience, HKFWS is worth considering.

Contact: hkfws.org.hk

St. Christopher's Home (聖基道兒童院)

Best for: Families interested in emergency foster placements; those willing to care for children with behavioural or emotional needs.

St. Christopher's Home is known for its small group homes and residential care, but it also operates foster care services — particularly in the emergency placement space. Their social work team has expertise in children with more complex behavioural presentations, and they provide specialised counselling support alongside placement services.

For families who are willing to take on the additional challenge of emergency care (24/7 availability, short-notice placements, short duration), St. Christopher's Home is a pathway worth exploring.

Contact: skhsch.org.hk

A Direct Comparison

What to Ask When You First Make Contact

When you call or email your chosen NGO, prepare to ask:

• When is the next information briefing session, and is it available in English?
• What is the current waiting time from enquiry to home assessment?
• Do you currently have demand for foster families of my profile (single carer, expat, family with existing children, etc.)?
• What types of children are most often matched through your organisation?
• What does ongoing support look like after placement?

The information session is where you will get the full picture, including the honest realities that brochures soften. Attending sessions run by two different NGOs before committing to one is a reasonable approach.

The Hong Kong Foster Care Guide includes a detailed comparison of each NGO's application process, average timelines, and which organisation is best suited to different family profiles — including a specific section on navigating the ISS-HK pathway as an expat or non-Cantonese speaker.

As of late 2025, there are 1,112 registered foster families for a system that needs more. Over 52% of those families are aged 60 and above. The NGOs are actively recruiting — and each of these organisations is ready to take your call.

See more Hong Kong guides →