Today, many Canadians are building the families they desire by adopting children from other countries. At Hope Services, we have been assisting families to adopt foreign-born children since 1996. It was at this time that our provincial government licensed private agencies to provide the service of intercountry adoption. We have been pleased to assist families navigating the complex and often difficult waters of this unique way to form a family.
Although at times the journey may feel overwhelming and fraught with pitfalls, it has been an extremely fulfilling experience for families who persist. The moment of taking your child into your arms can melt away months of paperwork and waiting.
Intercountry adoption is a very exciting opportunity for parents to build a family as well as assist a child in need. Hope Services would be pleased to serve you as you consider the many variables present in an intercountry adoption. Attached please find information on countries that are active for Intercountry adoption. We do, however, work with many more countries and welcome your questions should you be interested in pursuing an adoption from somewhere other than listed here. Please feel free to contact our office for more information.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
As with all international adoptions, the medical exam the child receives in their home country prior to being adopted sometimes misses a diagnosis. Occasionally a child will come to Canada with a condition that was previously unknown. Parents should be prepared for unexpected situations including varying degrees of attachment issues and/or developmental delays. We offer information on these issues at our seminar. We also encourage parents to study these subjects and be aware of resources related to them should their child show signs upon adoption.
HOPE SERVICES GENERAL PROCESS
Section 3(2) of the B.C. Adoption Regulations requires that your home study include an educational component. All applicants to Hope Services begin by attending our Part 1 – Process Plus Seminar. This introduction to Hope Services covers information about our agency, the process and some of the issues related to adoption and is an opportunity for you to receive an application package. Following the seminar you can submit your application and application fee ($350) to Hope Services, your file will be opened and you begin to complete the required documentation for your home study. The next step is to complete the 3-day Part 2 – Parenting Plus Seminar. At this seminar you will be given additional documentation and once this is complete a social worker will be assigned to complete your home study. Your home study will take a minimum of three months.
IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES
As of December, 2007 Canadian citizenship laws have been amended to allow children adopted in a foreign country to immediately become citizens of Canada. This procedure waives the requirement of sponsoring and applying for Permanent Residence through Immigration. If the child is brought to Canada prior to completing the adoption, the Immigration process must still be used. These applications can be obtained by calling 1 888 242 2100 or downloading the most current forms from www.cic.gc.ca.
Citizenship and Immigration applications can be completed simultaneously to preparing your dossier for the foreign country. The sponsorship application can be submitted for an “unknown child” prior to receiving a proposal. This will assist the process at the time of the proposal, as applicants will already have an open file with Immigration. The current fee is $150.
ADOPTIVE FAMILIES ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
The AFABC is a valuable resource for adoptive families. Books, videos and support are available to all members. Their website www.bcadoption.com is extremely useful and contains information on the following:
- Immigration and Sponsorship
- International Adoption Loan
- Employment Leave and Benefits
- Medical Information
PLACEMENT DISCLAIMER
We at Hope Services cannot guarantee that when you embark upon this process you will eventually end up with a child. Although it is rare that you would not complete an adoption, our agency is not able to control the changing policies of another country. While it is likely that a child will join your family, it appears just as likely that there will be many bumps along the way. The wait may be much greater than anticipated or a country may continue to ask for more paperwork even though your dossier was initially complete. Your attitude towards all of this will significantly affect the experience that you have. Prepare yourself for the unexpected and the trip generally ends up being more pleasant!
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
There are many factors to consider when deciding to adopt internationally.
Which country to choose is often the first question people consider. Looking at the costs, eligibility requirements for adoptive parents and type of child that may come from the country can help. As well, consider any connections you naturally have, or affinity you may feel for a particular part of the world.
A major factor in your consideration should be the evaluation of your own abilities. Most children from other countries have been exposed to social and physical influences that may be very different from yours. Certain health risks are inherent when adopting from poor and underdeveloped countries and completeness of the information that you receive on the child cannot be assured. There may be many unknowns, which will carry a degree of risk as well. These include unknown medical and social histories, unknown prenatal care and unknown care prior to adoption. You will need to educate yourselves and evaluate your willingness to accept these risks.
For many prospective parents, the stresses of deciding upon foreign adoption, preparing the documentation, and meeting the criteria for suitability are minor compared to the stress of waiting for a child. This is usually a much more difficult component of the process than most anticipate. It is best if you can prepare yourself that long waits and changes in the process are NORMAL and smooth sailing is not.
Using our education program and home study process to assist in your decision can help as you consider other factors that play into adopting a child from another country. These can include such issues as transracial parenting, incorporating another culture into your family, and raising your child without the benefit of background information or openness with a birth family.
We understand that there is a lot to think about as you consider such a venture and we would be pleased to assist you through the process. Please feel free to contact our office or email our Intercountry Adoption Workers at intercountry@shaw.ca