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CHOICES Adoption & Counselling Services

CHOICES is committed to providing a professional comphrehensive, client centered adoption service which best meets the needs of everyone in the adoption constellation with paramount consideration given to the best interests of the child.

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Process

Domestic adoption is a wonderful program at CHOICES. We have had many successful adoptions where birth parents and their chosen families get together to delight in the wonder of the child that they all love and care about.

CHOICES provides support for the birth parents and the adoptive parents throughout the domestic process. CHOICES has assisted approximately 5 to15 birth parents a year to place their children with loving parents in the last few years. The process may be very quick for some and for others it may take some time. Inter country adoption is a wonderful option for those parents who wish to have greater predictability.

Home Study

CHOICES' clients require a current home study in order to be on our Domestic Registry. We have over fifty competent contract social workers throughout the province, who are compassionate about their work and are able to complete the assessment in a non-intrusive, relaxed manner. In addition, your social worker will be able to assist you with the education component that is also required by our provincial legislation.

Placement

Direct Placement

We will assist adoptive parents who have an existing relationship with a birth parent and who have together made the decision that they are a good match without CHOICES assistance. A home study will be required and the birth mother will be provided with birth parent counseling before, during, after the placement and any time in the future that they require counseling.

Matched placements with CHOICES' assistance

After counseling, birth parents provide a list of criteria that describes the adoptive family with whom they wish to place their baby. When the birth parents are ready, CHOICES' social worker will provide several home studies for the birth parents to read. The birth parents make the decision as to which home study represents the adoptive parents that will be the best match for them. Once they have made the decision they will advise their social worker how they wish to proceed. They may wish to meet the adoptive parents or they may wish to have a completely closed adoption. If they wish to meet with the adoptive family and most birth parents do, CHOICES will advise the adoptive family and arrange a meeting. Travel may be involved for the adoptive family. Prior to the meeting the adoptive family will receive and review the birth parents medical and social history.

Birth and Placement

Once the baby is born and the birth parents make the decision to place the baby, the adoptive parents will need to be very flexible and sensitive during the placement. Both families will have a social worker available for support during the placement. CHOICES will provide a proposal letter to the adoptive parents with all necessary information including directions to obtain another Criminal Record Check and another Prior Contact Check prior to receiving the child. CHOICES will be available for support during the thirty day revocation period for both the birth family and the adoptive family. It is common for the families to have a visit with the birth parents shortly after the thirty day revocation period.

Finalization of the adoption

Once three successful post placement reports have been completed and the six month residency has been fulfilled CHOICES will prepare a Report to Court and provide it to the adoptive parents' lawyer. The lawyer will then petition the court for the Adoption Order.

(*Once you have registered, please request a more in depth description of the domestic process.)