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In the Yukon, all adoptions
in the territory are the responsibility of the Health and
Social Services Department. At present, there are no licensed
private adoption agencies in the territory but private adoptions
can still be arranged. Birth and adoptive families will require
the services of a lawyer as well as Yukon's Health and Social
Services Department.
Families that are interested
in private adoption in the Yukon are required to have a homestudy
and be approved by the Health and Social Services Department.
In many private adoptions, adoptive and birth families already
know each other or they've been connected by a family doctor
or lawyer. A step parent adoption would fall under the category
of private adoption.
* Note * This
describes the private adoption process if a match for birth
and adoptive families has been made through their own connections.
Many families are connected through family doctors, lawyers,
friends and family or word of mouth.
STEP 1: Contact the
Yukon Health and Social Services Department for information
on having a homestudy completed. You will also be required
to have the following checks complete: police, medical and
references.
STEP 2: Homestudy Report.
A licensed social worker from Yukon's Health and
Social Services Department will meet with you at least 6 to
10 times, most likely in your home, and together you'll discuss
a variety of topics. These will include your childhood, relationships
with family and friends, your marriage (if applicable), thoughts
about parenting. You'll also explore parenting an adopted
child and issues in adoption. More
information about the homestudy process ...
Once the interviews have been
completed, your social worker will take all of the information
he/she has gathered and write a report. This homestudy report
will recommend whether or not you should adopt and the age
and characteristics of the child appropriate for your family.
You are entitled to read your homestudy.
STEP 3: Wait! At
this stage, your family will most likely be waiting for your
child to be born. This will be a very exciting and nerve racking
time for both you and the birth parents. Some birth mothers
allow the adoptive parents to attend doctor's appointments
and even more exciting, the labour and delivery! During this
time, the topic of openness and your future relationship with
the birth parent(s) will arise and should be agreed upon prior
to the birth. All families are different; some parties agree
to complete openness where the birth parents become extended
family and see each other often. Others, choose to communicate
through letters and sharing photos several times a year. There
are also some situations where there is no contact.
STEP 4: Welcome your
new son or daughter home! In the Yukon, the birth
parent(s) sign the consents for adoption once the child is
7 days old. Before that, the child may go home with the adoptive
family if custody and guardianship have been established prior
to discharge. Birth parents have 21 days after they've consented
to adoption to change their mind and reverse the decision.
STEP 5: Probation and
Finalization! Once the 21 days have passed, and no
consents are withdrawn, your adoption placement can move forward.
All adoptive families are on a six month probation or supervisory
period that will be monitored by Health and Social Services.
During this time, your social worker will visit with you and
your child to ensure the placement is going well and that
the child is attaching and thriving in your family. Your social
worker will then submit a report to the Supreme Court and
the Department will apply to the Court for an Order of Adoption.
Once an Order of Adoption is granted (this means finalized),
your child is considered legally your child just as if he/she
were born to you.
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