Programs

Your adoption options in BC

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Whether you intend to adopt locally or internationally, under British Columbia law you must apply to adopt with BC's Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) or one of BC's licensed adoption agencies. This applies even in the case of direct placement in which the birth mother is known to you. The only exception, locally, is a relative or step-parent adoption, which can be processed through a lawyer.

Adopt BC Kids program | Local Agency Infant | Direct Placement | International

Adopt BC Kids program

BC's Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) Adopt BC Kids program helps to place children who are in foster care and available for adoption.

For a variety of reasons, parents may find themselves unable to provide adequate care for their children. When this occurs the Ministry may need to take temporary responsibility for these children. At any given time there are approximately 5,500 children in the temporary or permanent care of MCFD. Generally, at least 50% of these children will return to their families. The remaining children and youth receive continuing custody orders (CCO) and remain in the permanent care of the Ministry.

These children are in care through no fault of their own. Some have been in care for a short time, while others have experienced years of coming in and out of care and/or multiple moves. Most of these children are between the ages of 5 and 18. Approximately 50% are Indigenous, and more than 50% need to be placed with their siblings. All the children have placement and parenting considerations as a result of their life experiences.

These kids don't need "perfect" parents. Rather, they need parents who are committed and willing to do what it takes.

Local agency infant adoptions

Local agency infant programs facilitate the voluntary placement of infants born in BC by the birth parents. Children placed through this program are thought to be at lower risk of prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol. Most local infant adoptions involve a level of openness with birth family. Birth parents choose an approved adoptive family with the support of an agency social worker. 

Local infant adoptions are arranged through one of BC's licensed adoption agencies. 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 support group through AFABC to help them during this time.

As many local adoptions have at least some level of openness, prospective adoptive parents need to familiarize themselves with openness in adoption.

Direct placement

In a direct placement, the birth parents choose to place their child with someone they already know well, but who is not a relative. A licensed adoption agency assists the birth parents in meeting the requirements before the child is placed. These include a preplacement assessment of the prospective adoptive parents and a gathering of the birth family's medical and social history.

The birth parents and the adoptive parents will have joint guardianship until the adoption order is granted, but the preplacement assessment must be completed before the child lives with the adoptive parents. The adoption order is granted six months after placement.

International

Each year, approximately 75 children from all over the world are internationally adopted by BC families. Country requirements, costs, potential medical issues, culture, heritage and age of the child, time frame to adopt, are all important to prospective adoptive parents. Your agency social worker will be able to help you work through these decisions in the homestudy process. Your agency and AFABC can also try to connect you with other families who have adopted from different countries so you can benefit from their knowledge and experiences. Parents should attend adoption education workshops, do as much research on the country as they can, and talk to as many adoptive parents as possible before making a decision.

In the case of intercountry adoption, agencies have experience facilitating adoptions in various international locations, offering services ranging from completing your homestudy to helping with post-placement reports. There are numerous skilled adoption consultants who specialize with specific countries. However, they must also have a contract with a licensed agency and cannot facilitate adoptions independently.