Many of us know someone who has chosen to go through the process of adopting a child, either from Canada or from another country. Some of us may know or have heard of people who become foster parents and open their homes to kids who need one temporarily. But to many of us, the process and the requirements for each are mystifying. Here are some answers to basic questions about adoption and foster care.
How can I adopt a child?
The most common ways of bringing a child into your family are through:
- domestic adoption, either public or private
- international adoption
Each of Canada's provinces and territories has its own adoption procedures and regulations. The price of a private adoption can range from $5,000-$8,000 dollars. International adoption may cost several thousand of dollars more.
About 2,000 children are adopted from other countries by Canadians every year, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Are there Canadian children who need to be adopted?
Yes. There are more than 22,000 children in Canada waiting to be adopted. These are children of parents whose parental rights have been terminated by the courts. They are usually older children, aged three and over, and may have special needs.
If I adopt privately or out of Canada, do I still need to have a home study?
No matter what route you choose to take for adoption, a home study will be necessary. If you proceed through provincial child welfare agencies, which often have harder-to-place children available, you will have to take adoption classes for several weeks and have a home study, which is usually free of charge. For private adoptions, some provinces require you to contact a social worker trained in adoption home studies. These home studies cost about $1,000 to $1,500. International adoptions call for special home studies and there may be further requirements depending on the country being considered.
What does the home study involve?
Specifically, the home study will depend on what type of adoption you choose to pursue. But generally, home studies are a way for social workers to get a clear picture of your family and household, including your values, approaches to discipline, attitudes to adoption and parenting, and so on. It also helps give the social worker determine the type of adoptive child that would be best suited to your family. Other requirements include medical assessments, police checks and letters of reference.
What is foster care?
Foster parents provide a good home to children who are under the care of provincial child welfare agencies who need shelter because their own families are not able to sufficiently care for them. Requirements for foster care vary across Canada. As with adoption, a home study is a requirement.
Sometimes, children can go back home when their birth families are better equipped to look after them. Other times, foster care will be required for a long time, or even permanently. Sometimes foster children are adopted, either by their foster families or by other families. Children of the same family are often placed together in the same foster home. Much of the time, these kids have come from dysfunctional homes and may have experienced sexual, physical or verbal abuse and neglect. Many of these children may have mental-health or behavioural issues.
What about support for foster parents?
Foster families are reimbursed for each day the child lives with them. Many other expenses--including clothing, school supplies and some medical costs are covered. Each family is assigned to a resource person such as a social worker. There are also many support groups and meetings for foster parents to connect with and support each other, including the Canadian Foster Family Association.
Do I need special education and training to be an adoptive or foster parent?
No. The main qualities of an adoptive or foster parent are the willingness to be supportive and patient and to provide a good home to a child or children.
For more information on adoption and foster care in Canada please visit the comprehensive links available through the Adoption Council of Canada.
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This article was prepared by Nora Underwood, a journalist living in Toronto, with input from the Canadian 
