Adopting in British Columbia - How to adopt in BC

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Adopting in British Columbia

General Adoption Information

In British Columbia, there are two main systems when exploring adoption - Ministry adoptions and Agency adoptions.

A Ministry adoption (a.k.a. 'public adoption) is arranged through the Ministry of Children and Family Development and involves children who are in the care of the government. There are infants available for adoption but the majority of children are older and/or have some kind of special needs.

Agency adoptions are those conducted through the five licensed adoption agencies in British Columbia. There are two types of agency adoptions: domestic and international. A domestic agency adoption refers to a placement where the birth parent(s) consent to the adoption and choose the adoptive family through a licensed adoption agency. An international adoption is another popular option for families and involves the adoption of a child from another country.

For more information about adoption in British Columbia, visit the Ministry of Children and Family Development's web site on adoption. (click here)

British Columbia's Adoption Application Forms

Adoptive Families Association of British Columbia (AFABC) provides province wide support to families that are considering adoption, are in the process of adopting or have already adopted a child. Visit the AFABC web site to learn more about their programs.

Read: British Columbia's Adoption Act The province's Adoption Act offers a wealth of information about the processes leading to adoption, consents required, court proceedings, openness and disclosure in adoption, legal issues and more.


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