International Adoption in Ontario

International adoption allows one to become a parent to a child who has been orphaned or has been relinquished by his or her birth parent(s), and who normally has little chance of being adopted within his or her country of origin. Although there are downsides to international adoption to be sure—for example, it is expensive, the waiting period can be long, and it can be difficult to find an international adoption agency that is accepting new clients—there can also be serious upsides, such as giving a loving home to a child who otherwise would have little opportunity and learning about a new country, culture, and language.

To do an international adoption in Ontario, one must go through an agency or group that is licensed in Ontario to facilitate adoptions of children from outside Canada. These agencies are listed here: MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES

And one must hire a private adoption practitioner who is approved to conduct home studies and supervise adoption placements in Ontario. For a list of these practitioners, see MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES

One must undergo a home study and also do the adoption training course, PRIDE (see ADOPTION COUNCIL OF ONTARIO), and pay for these government- mandated requirements.

There are many formal and informal peer support groups in Ontario for families who have adopted children from other countries. And members of these groups are usually very willing to talk with people who are considering international adoption. We are now building our list of these groups under Peer Support and welcome additions to this list.