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What are the different types of adoption available in Ontario?

Ontarians who are planning to adopt a child have a few different kinds of adoption available to them. First, parents can choose to adopt a child locally or internationally. The other thing parents can decide is whether they would like to adopt a child through a public or private adoption process. Parents who are hoping to adopt a newborn baby would most likely want to consider private adoption. A private adoption may be arranged with the birth parents or through an agency.
 
After a home study is completed, the birth parents will decide which with family to place their child. Private adoptions usually have a long waiting list, and the cost could be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Public adoption, through a children’s aid society, is a no-cost process for adoptive parents. Children who are available for public adoption are generally older, and the waiting period could be anywhere between six months and two years. International adoption is generally more expensive than domestic adoption because parents may need to travel to the child’s home country multiple times. Agencies are also likely to charge a service fee of $20,000 to $50,000.
 
The waiting period for an international adoption will vary greatly depending on the country. Speaking with a lawyer who is well-versed in family law is a good way for future adoptive parents to determine how they should adopt a child. Because every family is unique, the adoption information in this blog is not meant to be taken as legal advice. Factors that parents may want to consider could be the age of any children already in their home, financial resources and their available travel time.
 
Source: Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services, “I’m thinking about adopting — Types of adoption“, November 17, 2014