Public Adoption
Public adoptions are adoptions of children in the permanent care of children’s aid societies, known as children in extended society care.
If the child you would like to adopt is currently living with their birth parents, or if you know an expectant mother whose child you hope to adopt, you must proceed through the private adoption system. More information on private adoptions can be found here.
Important Considerations
Most children in extended society care are not infants. They are often older, may have special needs and may have siblings who are also in society care.
There is no cost for prospective adoptive parents to go through a public adoption process with a children's aid society.
There is no set waiting period. Each adoption process is unique, and the time it takes varies for each child and family. Once you are approved to adopt by a children’s aid society, it’s likely to take 6 months to 2 years or longer for you to be matched with a child.
Process for a Public Adoption
Contact your provincial government adoption agency
Ontario: The application will go through the Centralized Adoption Intake Service, which provides general information about adoption to educate and prepare prospective adoptive parents at the start of the adoption learning journey
BC: Belonging Network can guide you through the process of adopting a child from foster care
Alberta: Alberta Adoption Services will help match you with the appropriate Children’s Services agency for your area
Contact your local children’s aid society
Children's aid societies manage all public adoptions and will help you get started with the adoption application process.
They will ask you to attend an orientation session, where you will learn more about becoming an adoptive parent of a child who is in the permanent care of the children’s aid society and complete an application form that formalizes your intent to adopt and provides your adoption preferences.
Complete a homestudy and mandatory training
The Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) homestudy is mandatory and consists of four to six interviews over four to six months. It determines whether you’re ready to be an adoptive parent and what type of child you’re best suited to adopt.
Your adoption agency will also have mandatory training. For example, in Ontario, you must also complete a 27-hour training, the Parent Resources for Information and Development and Education (PRIDE) program.
Finding a match
Your adoption worker will work with you to match your family with a child. The most important consideration is whether the match is in the best interest of the child.
Being matched
Your adoption worker will share information about you with the child based on their age and maturity level.
If you and the child, where appropriate, decide to move forward, the child will make several visits to your home, including with the adoption worker, to get to know your family and surroundings before moving into your home.
Adoption placement
After a child is officially placed in your home, there is an adoption adjustment period of at least six months to ensure the placement is appropriate for the child and your family.
The adoption worker will visit your home regularly to provide support and resources and assess how the child is adjusting.
Finalizing the adoption
The adoption will be finalized when the adjustment period is over, and the adoption worker will determine that the match is a good fit for the child and your family based on their report of how the child has adjusted to your home during this period.
The children’s aid society will then take steps to finalize your adoption in a provincial court.
Legal Considerations
Once the adoption is finalized, a provincial court will then make an adoption order that legally recognizes you as the child or youth’s adoptive parents and the child or youth as your adopted child or youth.
If the child or youth you are adopting is over the age of 12, they must legally consent to the adoption. Your child will be assigned a lawyer who will explain adoption to them. You may wish to consult with a lawyer as well because there will be some documents that you will need to complete.
Once all documentation is complete, the courts will review them. A judge will make a court order to finalize the adoption.
Openness orders or agreements can be pursued for public adoptions if it is in the best interest of the child. Openness orders or agreements allow for some form of contact between the child, the new family and agreed-upon people.
In the case of public adoption, most or all services will be provided by the local Children’s Aid Society and thus be covered by public funds. The possible exception is some costs related to medical reports and police clearances.
How can you get started?
Ontario
Connecting with the Adoption Council of Ontario (ACO) is a great way to begin your public adoption process. The ACO is a non-profit charitable organization that supports birth parents, adoptive parents and adoptees in Ontario.
The ACO’s Centralized Adoption Intake Service (CAIS) will match you with an ACO coordinator who can help you decide if public adoption is right for you. The coordinator will help you with:
Understanding the waitlist of children across children’s aid societies in your region
Prepare for your adoption application
Answering any questions you have on the process
BC
Connect with the Belonging Network to begin your public adoption process. AFABC supports the adoption community at all ages and stages through education, support services, family events, and advocacy. To get started, you can:
Register for an account on the BCeID
Submit an application through the Adopt BC Kids Portal
Alberta
Reach out to the Alberta Adoption Services and the local Children’s Services office for your community. These agencies will help guide you through the process of adopting a child/sibling group who is in permanent government care and available for adoption. To adopt a child, you must be an Alberta resident; be at least 18 years old; demonstrate financial and domestic stability; and be physically and mentally capable of parenting an adopted child.
