In This Issue

• Adoption is an option!
• Judy’s story- Love at first sight
• Who are the children available for adoption?
• Permanency for children and youth in Ontario
• What makes the public adoption system unique?

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Adoption is an option!

During November, the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) and its member agencies are promoting Adoption Awareness Month to educate the community about adoption and find permanent families for older children. Older children in the care of Children’s Aid Societies want and need permanent families.

Since last year, completed adoptions through Children’s Aid Societies have increased by 21%. This is a big step in the right direction but more children and youth are still in need of a permanent family. Only 2% of children adopted through Ontario’s public adoption system were ages 13-18 last year yet this age group represents 27% of the 2,800 children available for adoption. Many Ontarians looking to start or grow their family are not aware that there are older children available for adoption who need families.

Read more here: New release/backgrounder, Letter to the Editor, Open Letter to Ontarians

Judy's story - Love at first sight

I believe that every child should be in a home. How would you feel if you didn’t belong to anybody? I had always wanted to have more children, so when my two daughters were grown and my son was nine I decided to look into becoming a foster parent. Our family completed the training but before we began fostering our worker told us about how many older children were available for adoption.

Adoption is a family decision and changes everyone, so we all discussed it before we decided that it was right for us. When we saw the picture of Kevin, who was eight at the time, something just clicked. I didn’t really believe it would happen, but we spent a week with him and that was it. Everything fell into place so quickly and it is like he has always been a member of our family. Recently, our oldest daughter had a baby girl so now we are grandparents and Kevin is an uncle. We are truly blessed with such a rich life. Kevin reminds me of this every day and likes to say “Before you found me I didn’t have a family of my own.” When I try and put myself in his shoes I think that we might just have to make more room in our family for another older child or youth who is still waiting to be “found.”

Read Andre's story, Lexi's story, Jon's story and Wendy and Linda's story.

Who are the children available for adoption?

Children range in age from infants to teens and come from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. Some are siblings, waiting for a family who can keep them together. Others are special needs children who require parents willing to learn the skills to care for them. Although some children may have challenges, they all have one thing in common – a need for a safe and loving home for a lifetime.

There is a great need for permanent families for older children ages 13-18. They represent 27% of the children available for adoption through the public system, though only 2% of the finalized adoptions last year were for children from this age group. The need for a permanent family does not diminish as a child gets older. They benefit from having familial support through the challenges of going to school, being a teenager and experiencing life milestones.

Permanency for children and youth in Ontario

All of Ontario’s children need families. Ontario’s children in the care of Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) deserve no less, which is why agencies are working together every day to find them permanent homes.

When a child comes into care, CASs pursue an immediate and ongoing plan to find them a permanent family.  This may include a number of options, such as reunification with the family, legal custody, kinship care, customary care or adoption. Pursuing multiple options at the same time allows agencies to ensure children can find lasting, loving families more quickly.  Last year, over 5,200 children and youth found a permanent home: 3,572 were living with kin; 438 living with legal guardians; 208 placed in customary care homes, as per Aboriginal custom; and over 1,000 public adoptions were finalized.

Ontario has a modern system designed to find customized solutions for children.  It is working but more can be done, such as: providing subsidies to adoptive parents who require additional supports; health and dental supports; reducing the waiting list for home studies; a streamlined approach for parents to be able to access the public adoption system; and more public education and recruitment.

Creating permanence for children and youth is critical for Ontario’s future. If you are interested in become an adoptive parent to a child in need of a family, call your local Children’s Aid Society or visit www.useyourvoice.ca.

What makes the public adoption system unique?

It’s all about the right match. The public adoption system aims to find the best match for the child and family.

Adoption through the public system is free. You don’t have to be rich to adopt through the public adoption system. Unlike the private and international adoption systems, there is no charge for homestudies or legal fees. Costs to adopt outside of the public adoption system run from $5,000 to $40,000.

Everyone is welcome to apply to adopt. Individuals, couples, families with children, same-sex couples, older couples and people from different income levels from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds are invited to apply to adopt a child or youth through the public adoption system. If you have the desire to parent and care for a child, then you are welcome to apply!

The public adoption system is regulated by the government. The public adoption system is highly structured, regulated and monitored by the government. The Child and Family Services Act regulates the adoption of children who are living in Ontario. This act protects the rights of everyone involved in an adoption: the child, the child's birth parents and the adoptive parents.

For more information about adoption, read our brochure about adoption and frequently asked questions.