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Getting started in adoption

The steps from paperwork to parenthood

By
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Originally published in Today's Parent December 2007


The journey to adoption can seem long and daunting, but parents who have travelled it find joy at the destination. For those who have built a family this way, it’s hard to fathom parenting any other child. “Parents and children who are joined through adoption are as attached and cemented as through biology,” says Martha Maslen, an adoptee herself and executive director of Children’s Bridge International Adoption Consultants, based in Ottawa.

Some families may want to adopt a child born in Canada, while others are pulled toward international adoption. Within Canada, there are two routes: public, arranged through a child welfare agency like the Children’s Aid Society, and private, involving a licensed private agency or adoption licensee. In recent years, Canadian families have adopted between 1,500 and 2,000 children annually from overseas; while domestic adoptions are not tracked centrally, they number in the hundreds.

The process differs depending on which path you choose and the province where you live, but some aspects are common. You’ll likely attend an information session with the adoption agency. From there, you or your agency will choose an adoption practitioner (usually a social worker) to conduct your home study, which includes about five visits with the practitioner, including one in your home, to discuss all aspects of adoption and parenting. You’ll also need to get police checks, a complete medical and, depending on the route you choose, up to seven letters of reference from friends, family and employers. The completion of a home study is a big step toward your adoption.

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