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Home > About Adoption > Local Infant
Frequently Asked Questions About Local Infant Adoption What is local infant adoption?Who are BC's adoption agencies? What is their role? How many local infant adoptions are there per year in BC? What does openness in adoption mean? How long do birth parents have to change their minds? In the case that birth fathers are unknown and have not given consent to the adoption, how long is the period before the adoption can be completed? I've heard local infant adoption is really expensive; how much does it cost? Can my doctor arrange an adoption for me? Do I need to pass a test to adopt? How long does it take to adopt? Why do people adopt? What is local infant adoption? This term refers to adoption in which an expectant parent, or couple, decide that they are unable to parent their baby and move on to make an adoption plan. Most such adoptions are arranged through one of BC's licensed adoption agencies. While there is no guarantee that the baby was not exposed to drugs or alcohol in-utero, most of these babies are considered to be at "low risk" to such exposures. The BC Ministry of Children and Family Development rarely places infants who are considered “low-risk.” Parents wanting to adopt a local infant need to choose an agency, complete a homestudy, and then wait for birth parents to choose them in their adoption plan for their child. There is no set time frame for this, and many prospective adoptive parents find the waiting period a difficult time. Parents can join a Growing Together Support Group through AFABC to help them during this time.Also, as many local adoptions have at least some level of openness, prospective adoptive parents need to familiarize themselves with openness in adoption. See "What does openness in adoption mean?" on this page, and click here to visit the openness section of our online Resource Centre. Who are BC’s adoption agencies? What is their role? Six licensed agencies are located around BC. There are agencies in Kelowna, Victoria, Abbotsford, and the Lower Mainland. Agencies focus on local infant and intercountry adoption. The agencies complete homestudies for prospective adoptive parents and facilitate adoption education programs. They offer counseling to birth parents, helping birth parents to decide to parent or to make an adoption plan for their child. The agencies facilitate the adoptions, assist families with their openness agreements, complete post-placement reports, assist families with completing their adoptions, and offer post-adoption support. How many local infant adoptions are there per year in BC? There are currently between 40 and 50 local infant adoptions per year. Unfortunately, this means there is little certainty for adopting parents. What does openness in adoption mean? In most cases with local infant adoption, birth parents choose the adoptive family and very often will want to meet the adoptive family and continue to have information about and a relationship with their child after the placement. Openness can mean sharing letters and pictures through the agency or it can mean having frequent visits with birth family. The adopting parents decide on the level of openness they are comfortable with during the home study process and this is outlined in their home study for birth parents to read when they are choosing a family. At the time of the placement, the adopting parents and the birth parents (with the assistance of their agency social workers) determine the level of communication and relationship that is right for them and the child. An openness agreement is usually then signed by both parties. This agreement is not legally binding, but most families respect this agreement, while allowing some flexibility for changing circumstances. Some adoptive parents have a lot of contact with birth parents before the birth of the child, sometimes attending the birth and continuing a close relationship with the birth family (including birth parents, other siblings, and birth relatives). Other families share letters and pictures with birth family. It is very important that adoptive families think carefully about openness and what this will mean for them, the birth family, and their child. AFABC has many resources in the library regarding openness and adoption, and our staff are always happy to speak with you, helping to link you to resources and other families with varying levels of openness in their adoptions. Click here to visit our resource centre to learn more about openness. How long do birth parents have to change their minds? Once the consents to the adoption have been signed, the birth mother has 30 days after the birth of the child to revoke her consent. Apart from that, anyone who has consented may only revoke his/her consent if the court finds it to be in the child's "best interest."
In the case that birth fathers are unknown and have not given consent to the adoption, how long is the period before the adoption can be completed? Six months. See Birth Father Registry. Ä
With most local infant adoptions, prospective adoptive parents pay for the registration fee with the agency, the home study, the additional educational component of the home study, and the placement fee when the child is actually placed with the family. These costs will usually be from $10,000 to $15,000. In a direct placement (which are handled by one of BC's licensed adoption agencies) where the birth mother is known to the adopting parents, associated costs can range between $3,000 and $5,000. These fees include the pre-placement assessment ($1,500 to $2,250) and court filing fees of $1,000. Can my doctor arrange an adoption for me? No. Under BC law, whether you intend to adopt locally or internationally, you must apply to adopt with BC's Ministry of Children and Family Development or one of BC’s six licensed adoption agencies, even in the case of direct placement in which the birth mother is known to you. The only exception locally, is a stepparent or relative adoption, which can be processed through a lawyer. Do I need to pass a test to adopt? All prospective parents must complete a homestudy and an educational component before adopting a child. The homestudy is conducted by a social worker who interviews you and your family over several weeks. The social worker is not looking for perfection. The homestudy is not a test. The social worker is interested in why you chose adoption, what your knowledge about adoption is, how you have dealt with life's struggles (in particular, infertility, or grief and loss issues), and how you plan to deal with adoption or cultural issues as they arise. The homestudy process can be an excellent opportunity for self-reflection, clarification, and growth. The educational component is also a legal requirement. This series of seminars or one-on-one workshops explores the challenges and issues that may arise during your life as an adoptive family. How long does it take to adopt? The length of time it takes to adopt a local infant varies widely. In most cases, birth parents choose the adoptive family. Prospective adoptive parents can wait a matter of weeks or several years and in some cases are not able to adopt. Prospective adoptive parents have to be willing to take this risk when they choose local infant adoption. Why do people adopt? Infertility is the most common reason for choosing to adopt an infant. Families experiencing difficulties conceiving or carrying a baby to term need to decide whether their goal is to have a child who is biologically related or to parent a child. (For infertility info, contact Jennifer Hillman of the Vancouver Infertility Peer Support Group by calling 604-320-7330 or e-mailing jhillman@bcadoption.com.) Not all families who adopt, however, have experienced infertility. Some families choose adoption first, before, or instead of having birth children. Some families choose to adopt after having one or more children by birth. |
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