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 In
Canada, private adoption involves two families that consent
to, and make an adoption plan for a child. Government agencies
are not involved in private adoptions; instead, families enlist
the services of a lawyer or a licensed private adoption agency.
Provinces like Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario have
numerous licensed private adoption agencies that offer services
to both expectant parents and families hoping to adopt. For
families in provinces and/or territories that don't have any
private agencies, these kinds of adoptions can still be arranged
but with the assistance of lawyers and the government adoption
agency in that jurisdiction.
Most expectant parents who
are considering adoption for their child use private adoption
agencies. Why? They can choose the adoptive family and have
an open adoption (if they choose). Private adoption agencies
also offer counseling and support services to expectant parents
at no charge. For families hoping to adopt, private agencies
offer training programs, counseling services, home study assessments
or referrals to a home study practitioner, and of course,
licensed adoption placement services.
Families that want to adopt
a healthy newborn or young infant will have a much greater
chance of adopting through a private agency. Before registering
with an agency, however, families need to thoroughly research
the adoption agency. Find out as much as you can about the
agency and ask to speak with families that have used their
services. At the initial consultation with the agency, it's
important to ask lots of questions and get a copy of the agency's
payment schedule ahead of time. Private adoption is expensive
and can range anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000 depending on
the adoption situation. Most of the fees for a private adoption
are for the agency's administrative and legal services but
adoptive families are often required to pay for the birth
parents' counseling and travel expenses.
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Private adoption agencies
have numerous families on their active waiting lists.
When an expectant parent makes an adoption plan through
a private agency, they often meet with adoption workers
to discuss the characteristics of the adoptive family
they want for their child. The agency will then present
them with a number of profiles based on their criteria.
These profiles are created by the prospective adoptive
families and often contain a "Dear Birth Mother"
letter and photos of themselves and their home. Most
adoption workers will tell you how important it is that
a family's profile is honest and 'real' since you just
never know what it is that makes a potential birth parent
select a family. They might choose a family because
of their religion, the family's size, or they may connect
with a photo of the family or just the overall 'feeling'
they get when reviewing the profile.
Once the expectant parent(s)
choose a family to adopt their child, the agency will
arrange for a meeting between the expectant parents
and adoptive family. This meeting gives everyone a chance
to get to know each other and to establish a relationship
if the adoption is to move forward. An agency worker
is often present to help the families feel comfortable,
answer questions and discuss openness in adoption. If
everyone involved agrees on the match, the agency's
worker will discuss the next steps in the adoption and
counseling services available after the adoption placement.
Once the child has been born, the birth parent(s) must
sign a consent form for the adoption. Depending on the
province/territory, there will be a period of time in
which the birth parent(s) can change their mind. Once
this period expires, the birth parents cannot revoke
their consent. If the birth parents do withdraw their
consent to the adoption within the allowed period of
time, the child must be returned to them.
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There are no timelines when
it comes to private adoption. Some families are chosen very
quickly and others may wait a year or longer before a potential
birth parent selects them. Adoptive families must be proactive
and network while they wait. Some families use the newspaper
to advertise their desire to adopt while others advertise
online and through e-mail.
Note: If you do
plan to network, it's extremely important to ask your adoption
worker if 'adoption networking' is legal in your province
or territory (some provinces/territories have laws prohibiting
adoption advertising with hefty fines and penalties).
Depending on the province or
territory, the process to adopt a child through a private
agency will vary, but looks similar to the following:
- Research licensed private adoption
agencies in your province and/or territory
- Attend information sessions and register
with an adoption agency (some families register with more
than one agency)
- Hire a private, licensed social worker
to conduct your home study
- Complete medical and police checks,
submit references as well as family and social histories
- Attend adoption training classes if
required by your province/territory
- Create and submit a family profile
to the agency
- Wait to be chosen by a birth family
- A match is made! Attend a meeting with
the agency and birth parent(s) before the child is born
- Bring your new son/daughter home from
the hospital once the adoption consents have been signed
- Depending on the province/territory,
you will have to wait out a time period where the birth
parent(s) can revoke their consent. Once this period has
expired, they cannot have the child returned to them.
- Probationary period (with follow-up
visits from your worker)
- Your worker will submit a post placement
report and begin the paper work for finalization
- Adoption Order is granted by the Court
| Advantages of Private Adoption |
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Disadvantages of Private Adoption |
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- Open adoption
- There will never be any doubt or wondering
about your child's heritage and his/her biological
family's medical and social history. You'll be able
to share information and photos and many families
agree to meet several times a year. Children benefit
greatly from open adoptions because they will know
where they came from and how they joined the adoptive
family. This will help the child have a healthy self
esteem and identity.
- Child's Health/Age
- Families hoping to adopt a healthy newborn will
have the best luck with private adoption. (There are,
however, no guarantees that the child will be born
healthy).
- Control - Private
adoptions allow adoptive parents greater control in
terms of selecting the agency, what kind of relationship
with birth parent(s) as well as adoption networking
(if permitted in the province or territory).
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- The Cost - Adopting privately is
expensive with fees ranging anywhere from $7,000 to
$15,000.
- Fewer Infants Available - Compared
to 20 or 30 years ago, there are fewer infants available
for adoption. Why? There are more social assistance
programs for those facing unplanned pregnancies, more
unwed women choose to parent and more unplanned pregnancies
are terminated.
- Revocation of Consent - The birth
parents can revoke their consents after the child
is placed in your home. There is a small window of
time after consents have been signed that varies depending
on the province or territory. The child must be returned
to the biological parents if both or one withdraws
his/her consents.
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