For those who are self-employed, we have no compensated way to take a parental leave. Some just can’t take any time off without substantial financial repercussions.

For reasons of equality, fairness, and the best interests of children, parental leave policies for adoptive families need to be changed.

I strongly urge the federal government to do the same with parental leave. For the sake of our children, please provide the same supports and benefits to ALL families in Canada. Our families – most importantly, our children – deserve to be treated equally. 

Equal rights for adoptive parents’ parental leave is necessary to nurture and foster relationships in adoptive families. I am a strong advocate for equal rights for adoptive parents to today’s changing world so that we can build for the future.

Sadly our situation is not unique and is something faced by all adoptive families.  Ultimately the children in these situations need more time to adjust to their new lives.  Time that could make all of the difference for them and their families futures.  Time these children deserve.

The least we can do is give adoptive parents some time away from work so they can soldier on, so they can help their new children heal, and create the family every child deserves.

Regardless of birth history, adoptive families deserve equal time to bond with your family.

Heather addresses parental leave for adoptive families in comparison to maternity leave that bioglical families receive. She speaks about the challenges for adoptive families that hinder the necessary bonding and attachment process.

We strongly believe that time, as a result of parental leave, is the determinant of the mental and physical health of adoptees. This is time that is not divided but that is 100% directed to the adoptee. Only then, will our children become full, contributing members of society.

(FR/EN) I wish I could have given birth to my daughter and enjoyed a year of leave with her. But because of some technicality with how she became my daughter, I cannot. Adoption has seen some great improvement in its leave allowance over the last few years, however there is still a gap to fill.

All Canadian’s deserve equal time with their children. Families are families, no matter how they are formed.

I sincerely hope that current regulations will change so that all primary caregivers of adopted children can benefit from a full year away from work as they adjust their daily routines and seek the treatments and supports that are necessary to their situations.

It was during this time that it became difficult to try and understand why the Ontario Government gives extra time for mother who have children by biological means more time for their bodies to heal, when the minds of our children need that if not more.

Our children have often already been through enough without us having to send them off to daycare nine short months after bringing them home. Let’s have our voices be heard and help the government realize that adoptive families should be entitled to everything all other Canadian families are entitled to.

Adoptive families have been looked over for many years in the current parental leave entitlement. A change needs to happen to strengthen and support adoptive families and to allow new families to consider this as an option for extending their families.  

While most new parents have months to prepare mentally and practically for the arrival of their new child, I learned of my daughter just weeks before she became my child.  By extending the parental leave to 12 full months, this would positively support new adoptive families.

John speaks about the challenges he and his wife experienced as first time parents, and about the importance of building bonds and trust for adoptive families by increasing parental leave to 52 weeks.

Becoming a family is a beautiful time in any person’s life. In Canada, we are given the opportunity to take time away from our work responsibilities and focus on family.

I'm writing today to speak about an important issue that has deeply impacted my life, as well as the lives of my children and countless other families.