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Difference between revisions of "Adopting Children"
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#the Director under the ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84dv Child, Family and Community Service Act]'', but only if the child is in the care and <span class="noglossary">custody</span> of the government. | #the Director under the ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84dv Child, Family and Community Service Act]'', but only if the child is in the care and <span class="noglossary">custody</span> of the government. | ||
The | The ''Act'' also says that a birth mother's consent to the adoption is only valid if she gives it 10 or more days after the child's birth. The ''Act'' also provides that a parent under the age of 19 may give a valid consent. | ||
===Revoking consent=== | ===Revoking consent=== | ||
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The process for relative adoptions is a lot easier, mostly because the ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84g5 Adoption Act]'' exempts this sort of adoption from the notice requirements for direct placement adoptions. This means that the portion of the process described above, involving the Ministry and the Director of the Adoptions Division, can be bypassed, and no assessments or reports are required from the Director. | The process for relative adoptions is a lot easier, mostly because the ''[http://canlii.ca/t/84g5 Adoption Act]'' exempts this sort of adoption from the notice requirements for direct placement adoptions. This means that the portion of the process described above, involving the Ministry and the Director of the Adoptions Division, can be bypassed, and no assessments or reports are required from the Director. | ||
Stepparents may apply under this process for an order that they become "jointly" a parent of the child with | Stepparents may apply under this process for an order that they become "jointly" a parent of the child with their birth parent, usually the stepparent's spouse, the natural parent of the child. This is another form of relative adoption, and has the same effect as a normal adoption, meaning that the other natural parent (the one who isn't married to the stepparent) of the child loses their rights and obligations in relation to the child. | ||
==Adoption through the Ministry== | ==Adoption through the Ministry== | ||
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The worker will then begin a ''homestudy''. A homestudy is an assessment of the applicants completed over several months through visits to their home. It includes an educational component which prepares the adopting parents to meet the needs of the adopted child. | The worker will then begin a ''homestudy''. A homestudy is an assessment of the applicants completed over several months through visits to their home. It includes an educational component which prepares the adopting parents to meet the needs of the adopted child. | ||
Once the homestudy is complete, the adoption worker begins the process of matching available children to adopting parents. Once a match is found and the adopting parents accept the child, they begin pre-placement visits with the child. (If the child lives in a different community, the adopting parents will be asked to visit the child in | Once the homestudy is complete, the adoption worker begins the process of matching available children to adopting parents. Once a match is found and the adopting parents accept the child, they begin pre-placement visits with the child. (If the child lives in a different community, the adopting parents will be asked to visit the child in their community.) For these first visits, a worker will be present. Over time, the adopting parents will begin to spend time alone with the child and have visits at their own home. If things go well, the adoption worker will make a decision about the suitability of the placement based on what they consider to be in the child's best interests. | ||
The steps between the initial application and the match are not particularly quick. In recognition of this, be prepared for homestudies to be repeated every 12 months. Criminal records checks and checks for previous ministry involvement are conducted every two years. | The steps between the initial application and the match are not particularly quick. In recognition of this, be prepared for homestudies to be repeated every 12 months. Criminal records checks and checks for previous ministry involvement are conducted every two years. | ||
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==Adoption agencies== | ==Adoption agencies== | ||
The following four organizations are licensed by the provincial government under the Adoption Act to operate as adoption agencies. These are ''all'' of the licensed agencies in British Columbia. | The following four organizations are licensed by the provincial government under the "Adoption Act" to operate as adoption agencies. These are ''all'' of the licensed agencies in British Columbia. | ||
<blockquote>'''[http://www.choicesadoption.ca/home/index.php Choices Adoption & Counselling Services]'''<br> | <blockquote>'''[http://www.choicesadoption.ca/home/index.php Choices Adoption & Counselling Services]'''<br> | ||
