Who can adopt in
Nunavut?
-
Applicants must
be 19 years of age and be a resident of Nunavut
-
Applicants can be single, common law,
married or a same sex couple
Do I need a homestudy
to adopt in Nunavut?
Yes. All prospective adoptive parents with the exception
of those involved in custom adoption, must complete a homestudy
before adopting a child in Nunavut. You will meet with,
and be interviewed by a licensed social worker several times
to discuss a variety of topics including your relationship
with spouse/partner, your family and childhood, your financial
and employment situation, your health, lifestyle and home,
your interests, your parenting styles and attitudes, as
well as your understanding of open and closed adoptions.
You'll also discuss your motivation for adopting as well
as the characteristics of the child(ren) that would be the
best match for your family.
Can an open adoption
be arranged in Nunavut?
Yes. In Nunavut, an openness
agreement can be made in order to ensure communication and
relationships continue. The agreement must be made only
after the consent is given and before the adoption order
is granted and is an agreement between the adoptive parents
and another party (birth parent(s), a relative of the child,
guardian etc.,). An openness agreement must also include
a process for resolving disputes related to the agreement
and a child, if over the age of 12 years old, must consent
to the openness agreement.
Who must give consent for an adoption in the Nunavut?
The consent of each of the
following is required for a child’s adoption:
- the birth mother
- the birth father
- any person appointed as the child's
guardian
- the child, if he/she is 12 years
of age or older
Note: Where the child is in
the continuous custody of Nunavut's Director of Adoption,
the only consents required are the Director's consent
and the child's consent (where he/she is 12 or more years
of age).
What are the rights
of birth fathers in Nunavut?
If the birth father is identified,
his consent is required. If the birth mother does not identify
a birth father, she must provide an Affidavit of paternity.
When can consents
be given for an adoption?
A birth mother’s consent
to the adoption of her child is valid only if the child
is at least 10 days old when the consent is given.
Can adoption consents
be withdrawn?
Yes. A person who has consented to a child's adoption may
withdraw their consent no later than 30 days after the consent
was given. This revocation must be in writing and received
by Nunavut's Director of Adoption.
Can
prospective adoptive parents advertise their desire to adopt
in Nunavut?
No. Nunavut's Act states
that no person shall publish in any form or any means an
advertisement soliciting a child for adoption or for the
purpose of finding adoptive parents for children.
Can a child be placed
for adoption outside of Nunavut?
Children can be adopted from
families living outside of the territory through private
or custom adoptions. These types of adoptions are most often
arranged through families and friends or by word of mouth.
Children who are in the care
of Nunavut's Health and Social Services Department are rarely
placed for adoption outside of the territory. According
to Nunavut's Health and Social Services
Department, it is their policy to find homes for
children within Nunavut in order to preserve their unique
heritage. Children can be placed with relatives living outside
Nunavut or with a family outside the territory if there
are no appropriate homes for the child in Nunavut.
Can
an agency or adoptive family help with a birth parent’s
expenses?
No. It is illegal to give or receive or even offer to give
or receive payment to procure a child in Nunavut and Canada.
