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On Prince Edward Island, families that want
to adopt internationally will have to look outside the province
for an agency as there are no licensed adoption agencies in
the province. Families in the province should first contact
the Department of Social Services and Seniors for a referral
to a licensed private adoption agent. A private adoption agent
will be able to meet with the family and conduct a homestudy
as well as advise them on out of province adoption agencies
that are licensed for various international programs. PEI
families can employ the services of licensed international
adoption agencies in provinces like Alberta, British Columbia,
Ontario and others.
International adoptions are complicated
and can take several years to complete. The laws of Prince
Edward Island, federal immigration laws, the laws of the child's
country and the Hague Convention must all be observed and
followed in order for an adoption to succeed. A private licensed
international adoption agency will assist and guide adoptive
families through and it's the agency's responsibility to ensure
the adoption is legal and the best interests of the child(ren)
are met.
With the increase of child
abduction and trafficking around the world, many countries
have signed the Hague Convention in an effort to make international
adoption a safer and more secure process. The Hague Convention
is an international agreement which lays out guidelines to
govern adoption processes in these countries and to protect
the best interests of children. The Convention also has safeguards
in place to protect birth and adoptive families but its main
goal is to ensure that an international adoption is in the
best interests of a child and that his/her fundamental rights
are protected. More
information about the Hague Convention.
Canada has been a partner in
the Hague Convention since 1993 and all provinces and territories
follow the Convention's guidelines. Canadians can adopt from
countries that have not ratified the Hague Convention. These
adoptions have similar steps but lack the assurances of Hague
Convention adoptions.
Choosing the citizenship process or the
immigration process
According to Citizenship and Immigration
Canada's web site, as of December 23, 2007, anyone adopted
by a Canadian citizen after February 14th, 1977 can apply
for a grant of Canadian citizenship without first becoming
a permanent resident. Some new adoptions, however, will still
need to use the immigration process. The following explains
the two processes and will assist you in deciding which to
pursue.
The Citizenship
Process:
You can apply for citizenship for an adopted person if:
- at least one adoptive parent is,
or was, a Canadian citizen when the adoption took place
- the adoption severs (or severed)
all ties with the adopted person’s legal parents
- the adoption was or will be completed
outside Canada (except for Quebec)
The adopted person does not meet the
requirements for the citizenship process if:
- neither parent was a Canadian citizen
when the adoption took place
- the adoption took place before
February 15, 1977
- the adoption did not fully sever
all ties with the child’s legal parents
- the adoption will be completed
in Canada, or
- a probationary period is to be
completed in Canada before a final adoption order is issued
from the child’s birth country.
More information on how to apply for Citizenship
can be found here: How
to apply for Citizenship
More information on what happens after you apply for Citizenship
can be found here: After
applying for Citizenship.
The Immigration Process:
You can use the immigration process
to apply for permanent resident status for the adopted child
if:
- the adopted child is going to Canada
to live right after the adoption takes place, or
- one or both parents are Canadian citizens
or permanent residents.
The adopted person does not meet the requirements
for the immigration process if:
- the adopted person is not going to Canada
to live right after the adoption takes place
- you are an adult adoptee living outside
Canada and not returning to Canada to live right after your
application is approved.
More information on Immigration can be found
here: How
to Apply for Immigration, After
Applying for Immigration, Arriving
in Canada with Your Child
For more information regarding
immigration issues, contact Citizenship and Immigration Toll
Free at: 1-888-242-2100
The expenses for international
adoptions are quite high and will vary based on the requirements
of the child's country of origin, agency programs, coordinator
fees and several other factors. On average, most international
adoptions cost anywhere from $18,000 to $50,000.
On Prince Edward Island, adoptive
parents are responsible for the following costs:
- the home assessment report fees and
parent training courses
- application and registration fees for
a licensed adoption agency
- translation and courier fees
- immigration fees
- the child's medical evaluations
- the agency fees in the child's country
- travel and accommodations
- legal fees and post placement reports
Like Canada, there are children
of all ages waiting to be adopted from overseas. Most children
waiting to be adopted are available due to poverty and lack
of family services. Many children are abandoned by their biological
families or made orphans due to war and/or disease.
Prospective adoptive families
pursuing international adoption must be aware that these children
are considered special needs. Why? In most cases, these children
have had traumatic early life experiences, health problems,
poor pre-natal and/or postnatal care, or malnutrition. These
special needs could arise due to such situations:
- the child has lived in an orphanage
where there were many children and few caregivers. This
leads to attachment problems and disorders.
- there is little or no background on
their biological families or their own early life experiences
- they had to fend for themselves “on
the street” and their past independence may make
it difficult for them to adjust to life in a family environment
- they suffered physical or emotional
deprivation, leading to long-term problems despite receiving
loving care in their adoptive homes.
Adopting a Child
of Another Culture or Race
With an international adoption,
the child is often a different race and/or culture from their
adoptive family. An inter-racial adoption raises a number
of issues that adoptive parents should be prepared for ahead
of time.
An Asian child adopted by a
Caucasian couple will be recognizably different and might
have more difficulty 'fitting in' than a child from Russia
or the Ukraine. Adoptive parents are now being encouraged
to learn about the child's country and culture so that they
can teach their child about his/her heritage and incorporate
parts of the child's culture into their family life and identity.
Honouring the child's heritage will instill a sense of pride
in the child and help them in the teenage years with their
sense of identity.
Some adoptive families also
face the reality of racism and attitudes from others (even
relatives, friends and colleagues) towards those who are culturally
or racially different. Adoptive families must also be prepared
for inappropriate inquiries from others (often inquisitive
strangers) about the child's origins and adoption. Many adoption
agencies offer seminars and training courses that can prepare
families for such situations and issues. There are also support
groups for families that have adopted internationally. These
groups are wonderful supports for not only parents but as
well, their children, who find friendship with other adoptees
possibly from their country of origin.
When hiring a licensed private
adoption agency, it's important adoptive parents do their
research and ensure that the agency they choose has a good
reputation, reasonable policies and payment schedules, as
well as staff who are compassionate and knowledgeable. The
agency you choose is ultimately responsible for the total
management of your adoption process until the adoption is
completed and your child safely enters Prince Edward Island.
Your licensed international
adoption agency will:
- Ensure that the laws related to international
adoption in Canada, Prince Edward Island, and the child’s
country of origin are followed
- Help you understand the laws and procedures
of the Prince Edward Island and the country from which
you wish to adopt
- Provide information to assist you
in choosing the country from which you wish to adopt,
if you have not yet made the choice
- Review immigration procedures with
you
- Prepare you for your experience of
adopting from another country
- Present you with a service contract
for your signature, as indicated under costs
- Review and explain the Memorandum
for Adoptive Applicants to you
Your licensed agency is also
responsible for arranging the preparation and submission of
follow up reports where required by the child's country of
origin.
STEP 1: Decision Making!
First and foremost, you need to choose the country from where
you want to adopt. Each country has its own expectations of
potential adoptive parents. For example, some countries require
adoptive parents include a psychological report or that the
applicant(s) be of a certain age or married for a set period
of time. A licensed international adoption agency will be
able to assist you in this area.
STEP 2: Contact
the Department of Social Services and Seniors
and request a referral to a private adoption practitioner.
You will also be required to fill out numerous documents in
an application package. You will have to have medical and
criminal checks done as well as provide references.
STEP 3: The Home Study Report.
All families wishing to adopt Internationally must have a
home study completed by a private social worker who is authorized
under PEI's Adoption Act. You will meet with, and be interviewed
by your private adoption practitioner several times (4 to
6 minimum) 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 you're hoping to adopt.
STEP 4: Hire An Adoption Agency.
As mentioned above, there are no licensed international
adoption agencies on Prince Edward Island. You will have to
employ the services of a licensed agency in another province.
A directory of licensed international adoption agencies can
be found in each province's section on this web site.
STEP 5: Adoption Dossier.
A dossier refers to the paperwork requested by the child's
country of origin. Your home study report is just one of the
many documents that will be included in your dossier. Your
adoption agency will work with your family to collect and
complete all of the necessary authentications and translations
and to ensure your dossier is complete. During this time,
prospective adoptive parents should also be researching the
processes of Citizenship and Immigration to Canada.
STEP 6: Wait for a
match! Once your dossier has been completed and forwarded
to the child's country, you'll wait a period of time for a
child to be referred as a match for your family. Once your
adoption agency and the Director of Adoption on Prince Edward
Island have reviewed and approved the referral, you will be
able to review the referral.
A referral for a child contains
the child's description, a photograph (and maybe a video)
as well as the child's medical and social histories. Your
adoption agency's professionals will be on hand to review
the information with you and discuss any concerns or issues
in the referral. If there are any concerns, you should do
some research and consult with professionals like your family
doctor or a pediatrician.
STEP 7: You
will be asked to submit a Letter of Acceptance/Decline to
your agency who will then forward it to the Central Authority
in the child's country of origin. If you decline the referral,
your agency will request that the country refer another child.
If you accept the referral, your agency will forward the Letter
of Acceptance to the child's country.
STEP 8: Adoptive
parents are responsible for their child’s entry into
Canada. As of December 23, 2007, families can now choose from
two processes: citizenship or immigration. Detailed
information can be found here about Citizenship and Immigration
Canada. For more information
regarding immigration issues, contact Citizenship and Immigration
Toll Free at: 1-888-242-2100
STEP 9: Travel!
Your child's country will advise you and your agency on
when you can travel to pick up your child. Depending on
the country, you may be required to spend a certain amount
of time in the country. During this time, you will be able
to bond with and form attachments to your child as well
as learn more about their heritage/culture. In most cases,
you will also attend a court session where the adoption
will be finalized.
STEP 10: Post-Placement.
Once you've returned home with your child, your
family will be required to submit post-placement reports
to the child's country of origin. Most countries require
that a social worker submit these reports which detail the
child's safety and well-being, as well as include several
photographs. These post-placement reports are often mandatory
and some countries require the family to continue sending
reports about the child(ren) on their own for several years
(sometimes until the child is 18 years of age).
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