Matching process

You will get to know about the child or sibling set that is "proposed" to you before you decide to adopt them. Out of respect for the child and their well-being, parents are asked to formally commit to a child prior to meeting them in-person.

Adopt BC Kids adoption

Once your homestudy is approved, your homestudy goes live in MCFD's Adopt BC Kids web portal.

The web portal will search for available children that match your family's criteria. You can also search and view child profiles on the AdoptBCKids portal and flag profiles for your social worker. The portal will also notify you of matching events in your area. Your social worker will review all potential matches.

When your social worker finds a possible match, they'll call you. You'll get some information about the child or sibling set. Ask questions and decide if this seems like a good fit. You may have multiple matches to review, and a child's guardianship worker may be considering other families.

When you accept a match, you'll receive a proposal package with more information on the child's health, history, and development. At this step you are the only family being considered for this child.

You will have time to review the proposal and request more information before making a decision to accept or decline a proposal.

Local agency infant adoption

You create a profile which includes photographs, a "dear birth parent" letter, and a brief summary of your family. 

Birth parents working with your agency review profiles of approved waiting families. After narrowing their choices, birth parents may review several homestudies before selecting a family.

When your family is chosen, your social worker will contact you with information on a proposed match.

In BC, it is illegal for applicants to advertise their search for a child. However, adoption agencies are permitted to publish profiles of approved waiting families on their websites. Third party websites such as CanadaAdopts.com may also host your profile for you. Talk to your agency about the risks and benefits of publicising your profile.

International adoption

Once your dossier is accepted in country, you wait for a proposal.

In countries such as the United States and Japan, where birth parents are directly involved in choosing a family, the matching process is very similar to the local agency infant program. In countries where children wait in orphanages or foster care, government workers oversee the matching of children to families.

When a child is proposed to you, you will receive information on the child's age, health, and history. Sometimes information is extensive, sometimes it is limited. You will have time to review the proposal before making a decision to accept or decline a proposal.

After acceptance, some countries require one or more visits with the child so you can get to know one another.

If the adoption is completed in the child's country, you will wait for finalization and travel documents to bring your child home. If the adoption is to be completed in Canada, you'll wait for guardianship and travel clearance to bring your child home. In most cases, international adoptions are completed in the child's country, according to the local adoption laws.

Travel visas and passports are issued, allowing you and your newest family member to travel home to Canada.