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FAQs
Adoption in Canada is ever changing. In fact, change seems to be
about the only constant. Today, the process is very different from what
it was, say, five or even two years ago. With the rise of international
adoption and the advent of new search tools like the Internet, not only
has the face of adoption been altered, so have the rules.
But not everything is in flux. There
are still some basic things you'll need to know -- and might have questions
about. Hence, our FAQs.
If you're an adoptive parent and have additional questions,
click here.
If you're a birth mother and have additional questions, click here.
Questions:
- Who can adopt in Canada?
- How long does it take?
- How much does it cost?
- How does the adoption
process work?
- Can we adopt a baby from
another province?
- Can we adopt a baby from
another country?
- What's the first thing
we should do if we're ready to adopt?
- Who can help us get started?
- What's the next thing
we should do?
- What's a home study?
- What kinds of adoption
are available in Canada?
- How do they differ?
- What's public domestic
adoption?
- What's a private domestic
adoption?
- What's an international
adoption?
- What's the difference
between adoption and foster care?
- Which of the adoption
alternatives do most adoptive parents choose?
- What are the most popular
sources of overseas babies?
- How many babies are
adopted each year from overseas?
- How many healthy newborns
are adopted each year from within Canada?
- Why are there so few
newborns available?
- What's open adoption?
- What's the difference
between open adoption and private adoption?
- What's the difference
between adopting through Canada Adopts! and going through a private
agency?
- Is one alternative better
than the other?
- What kind of professional
help will we need to adopt?
- Is there a way of speeding
up the process?
Answers:
- Who can adopt
in Canada?
In theory, practically anyone. Although some agencies
have certain rules and regulations regarding issues such as religion,
race, age, marital status, sexual orientation and so on. In general,
as long as you're a Canadian citizen over 18 and don't have a criminal
record, you have as much right to become a parent as anyone else.
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- How long does
it take?
There's no set time. It all depends on which route
you pursue. For instance, if you're looking for a newborn Canadian,
it could take a few years. Overseas, on the other hand, the wait could
be as short as two years. A lot will depend on you -- what kind of child
you're interested in, how much time, money and energy you're willing
to invest in your search, how anxious you are to become a parent, and
of course, luck.
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- How much does
it cost?
Once again, a lot will depend on what kind of child
you're interested in adopting. For children adopted through the public
system, for instance, there is usually no fee at all. Most private adoptions,
on the other hand, range from about $10,000-$15,000 (for a child born
in Canada) to about $20,000-$35,000+ (for a child born in the United
States or overseas).
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- How does the
adoption process work?
Every case is different. Adoption and child welfare
come under provincial jurisdiction, so each province has it own laws
and regulations.
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- Can we adopt
a baby from another province?
In many cases, yes, you can. Keep in mind that some
provinces are more restrictive than others. It all depends on where
you live and where the child you want to adopt lives or is born.
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- Can we adopt
a baby from another country?
Yes, you can, although it's a little trickier. In
addition to meeting the adoption criteria within your province, you
have to meet the criteria of your child's country of origin. For more
information, contact a private agency, since they're the only ones who
can help arrange an overseas adoption.
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- What's the
first thing we should do if we're ready to adopt?
Adoption is all about options. Therefore, the first
you should do is gather as much information about the process as you
can. This will save you time, money, and frustration down the road.
Find out the laws in your province, the requirements and the limitations,
and don't rush into any situation until you've got all the facts.
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- Who can help
us get started?
There are many groups, organizations, individuals
and resources you can turn to. The Adoption
Council of Canada is a good place to start, particularly the How-to-Adopt
Seminars that are offered in some provinces. If you know couples or
individuals who have gone through the process, speak to them. Support
groups, you'll find, are another great resource to tap into. Also
contact public
and private adoption
agencies, adoption licensees
and adoption practitioners
to see what they can offer you. As far as web sites go, Familyhelper.net
is a great resource, as is its companion newsletter of the same name.
Lastly, read up on as much as you can, especially Judith Wine's The
Canadian Adoption Guide, which is a little
out of date but still quite relevant. .
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- What's the
next thing we should do?
Develop a strategy. One of the first things you'll
have to do is decide what kind of child you'd like to adopt -- newborn,
international or special needs. Then, based on the information you've
collected, find out the best way to reach your goal. Focusing on a specific
goal is important, but be prepared to pursue other avenues, just in
case things don't work out. Also, make arrangements to get a home
study.
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- What's a
home study?
A home
study is an assessment of your skills as a person and prospective
adoptive parent. It's also something of an adoption primer, designed
to prepare you for some of the responsibilities that lie ahead. Although
you can start your search for a baby before or while your home study
is being completed, your adoption won't be approved until it's done.
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- What kinds
of adoption are available in Canada?
The main choices are:
public domestic, private
domestic, private international
overseas and private international
US.
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- How do they
differ?
The main differences are the costs, time line and
the type of child available.
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- What's public
domestic adoption?
Public adoptions are arranged through government
agencies like the Children's Aid Society. There's usually no fee involved
but the waiting period for a healthy newborn is long -- at least eight
years. Most of the children available through public agencies are special
needs children -- older children with behavioural or learning disabilities,
sibling groups or children that are difficult to place for adoption.
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- What's a
private domestic adoption?
Private
domestic adoptions are arranged by provincially-approved licensees
or agencies. They're more expensive but the waiting period for a newborn
is much less -- anywhere from one to three years, although there's no
guarantee. The costs for a private domestic adoption range from about
$10,000 to $15,000.
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- What's an
international adoption?
International
adoptions are arranged through private agencies. The waiting period
can often be as short as two years, and the costs run between $20,000
and $35,000+. The children are usually about a year or older and of
a different race or nationality. US
adoption is also considered an international adoption.
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- What's the
difference between adoption and foster care?
Adoption is permanent, whereas foster care is a short
term or temporary arrangement. With foster care, a child is usually
placed with a family for a limited time while the birth parents make
a decision regarding their - and the child's -- future. In the end,
they may choose to raise their child themselves.
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- Which of
the adoption alternatives do most adoptive parents choose?
Overseas adoption, by a wide margin. The main reason
is that they tend to be less volatile than domestic adoptions since
birthparents are not involved, and you can often have a baby in your
arms within about a year or so.
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- What are
the most popular sources of overseas babies?
In recent years, it's been China, Russia, Korea and
Haiti.
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- How many
babies are adopted each year from overseas?
About 2,500 to 3,000.
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- How many
healthy newborns are adopted each year from within Canada?
It's hard to say for sure, but the number is thought
to be in the hundreds rather than the thousands, with the majority of
them coming from Ontario.
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- Why are there
so few newborns available?
Many reasons:. While the pool of adoptive parents
has steadily grown, partly because couples are starting their families
later in life, the number of birth mothers has shrunk, partly because
of the growing acceptance of single parenthood and our generous social
programs.
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- What's open
adoption?
Open adoption
is any situation where the birth mother and the adoptive family know
each other and exchange identifying information. How much information
is determined by the two parties, and can include everything from swapping
social and legal histories to letters and photos, and in some cases,
even visits. It is the opposite of closed adoption, which until recently
was the adoption standard.
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- What's the
difference between open adoption and private adoption?
A private adoption can be an open adoption. Private
adoption simply means it's a non-governmental adoption.
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- What's the
difference between adopting through Canada Adopts! and going through
a private agency?
Canada Adopts! is a search tool -- a method to help
you find a woman with an unplanned pregnancy considering adoption. We
don't arrange adoptions and we don't facilitate them. As a result, you
still need to go through an adoption licensee-- an individual
or private agency
-- to help you get your adoption processed. In some cases, licensees
may be able to help you in your search as well, although outreach is
generally not a huge priority for them due to the time and financial
commitments involved.
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- Is one alternative
better than the other?
As far as your search is concerned, no. It really
depends on your budget and what type of person you are -- whether you
like to take the initiative or whether you'd rather have someone else
take it for you. If you belong to the first group, then Canada Adopts!
is a great place to start your search. If, on the other hand, you fall
into the second one, then you're better off considering an agency, even
with the extra costs. Then again, you could consider using both methods.
Just remember that no matter which route you choose to search for a
child, you'll still need to get your adoption processed. And, given
that some provinces have restrictions on advertising by adoptive parents,
you may not even have a choice.
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- What kind
of professional help will we need to adopt?
A provincially-approved adoption
practitioner can walk you through the home
study. You can find one through an adoption agency or, in some provinces
like Ontario, independently. Depending on which route you take, you'll
also need an adoption
licensee or agency to help you with the legal requirements.
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- Is there
a way of speeding up the process?
On the domestic front, registering with more than
one agency will increase your chances of finding a match. Another way
to beat the odds is to pursue more than one alternative at a time. For
instance, just because you've decided that you'd like to work with a
public agency doesn't mean you can't explore a private one. If, on the
other hand, you've set your sights on international adoption, some countries
such as China and Vietnam can offer you a child faster than others.
Again, it all depends on what kind of child you're after and what your
tolerance to risk is.
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