Adoption Options in New Brunswick (Revised) (Spring 2010)

Adoption Corner
Spring 2010

ADOPTION OPTIONS IN NEW BRUNSWICK
Prepared by the Adoption Council of Canada

Preface
When it comes to adoption across Canada, every province and territory has its own set of rules and regulations governing the process. The information contained in this article is specific to the province of New Brunswick and was compiled at the request of the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada.

Should you wish to learn more about the options in your area, please visit the Adoption Council of Canada’s (ACC) website (www.adoption.ca) and click on “About Adoption.” You may also contact the ACC directly at 1-888-54-ADOPT or email info@adoption.ca.

Q1: Who is in charge of adoption in New Brunswick?
In New Brunswick, the Department of Social Development oversees all adoption issues. Their website is: http://www.gnb.ca/0017/adoption/index-e.asp and you can reach them toll-free at 1-866-ADOPT-01.

Q2: Am I eligible to adopt?
Persons over the age of 19 are permitted to apply to adopt in New Brunswick. Individuals will be required to gather documents (medicals, references, financial statements, criminal record checks) and have a homestudy completed.

Q3: What is a homestudy?
The homestudy is a professional assessment of a prospective parent's suitability to adopt. A social worker conducts interviews to assess reasons for wanting to adopt, preferences in types of children, and strengths and skills in parenting. The process includes education about adoption and parenting issues. The homestudy document summarizes the applicant's family life, education, employment, personality, marital history and medical history. The social worker states what type of child the applicant is approved to adopt.

Q4: What options are available to me?
There are 4 different types of adoption in New Brunswick.

1) Infant Ministerial Adoption: the adoption of infants under the age of two who are in the care of the Minister.
2) Private Adoption: birth parents arrange for and make the placement of their child with someone they know. The Department must be notified of the placements by both the birth parents and the adoptive applicants.
3) Adoption of Older, Special Needs Children and Sibling Groups: these adoptions typically involve children over the age of two. Applicants in addition to meeting all the eligibility requirements must complete 27 hours of PRIDE Pre-Service Training.
4) International Adoptions: the adoption of a child from another country or the placement of a NB child outside of New Brunswick. Applicants must first be approved to adopt by the province before they can be considered for international adoption.

Q5: What is PRIDE Pre-Service Training?
PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education) is a nine session course for a total of 27 hours of training that could be offered in a variety of ways, from once a week to sessions on weekends.

The PRIDE curriculum provides information to help prepare all adoptive parents for the responsibilities involved in raising their children and incorporates information about the following:
Adoption and child welfare systems, processes and laws
Attachment as a central issue in all adoptions
Loss issues in adoption
Impact of adoption on your own family
Child development, child management and an overview of issues specific to the needs of adopted children
The effects of neglect, lack of stimulation, abuse, institutionalization on children
Identity formation and the importance of cultural and racial awareness
The importance of connections and continuity for children

Q6: I am interested in adopting a child from New Brunswick. What should I do?
You should contact your local Social Development office. There is no cost involved for this option. You may call the department's toll free line to obtain the contact info for your regional office: 1-866-ADOPT-01. Be sure to ask about any pre-adoption education and information sessions that are available for you to attend. A list of regional offices is also available online: http://www.gnb.ca/0017/adoption/index-e.asp.

NOTE: There are over 700 children in New Brunswick without a permanent family. Nearly 500 of these children are aged 12 and older.

Q7: I am interested in international adoption. What should I do?
If you are interested in adopting internationally, please contact Gentle Path Counselling Services Ltd. This agency has been approved by the Minister to provide specific aspects of International Adoption Services in the province of New Brunswick. This includes intercountry adoption registration, information sessions, intercountry adoption training, completion of home assessments, post placement services and progress reports. You can reach Gentle Path at 1-888-394-4022 ext. 206 or by email adopt@gentlepathsj.com.

NOTE: additional information is also available via the following link: http://www.gnb.ca/0017/adoption/IntercountryAdoption-e.pdf.

Q8: What about adopting from another province?
Although adoption in Canada is provincially mandated, it is possible to adopt across provinces. To learn more about children waiting across the country, please visit the Canada’s Waiting Children (CWC) program: www.canadaswaitingkids.ca.

NOTE: CWC is a program maintained by the Adoption Council of Canada (ACC) which aims to recruit families for children who are waiting for adoption in Canada. Since the ACC is not an adoption placement agency, the adoptive parent(s) must still have a homestudy done through a private or public agency in their province.

Q9: What other resources are available to me in New Brunswick?
Residents in New Brunswick may also contact the New Brunswick Adoption Foundation for more information and to find out about any support groups or workshops that might be in their area:

New Brunswick Adoption Foundation
P.O. Box 6809 , St. A
Saint John NB E2L 4S3
(506) 832-0676
nbadopt@nbnet.nb.ca
www.nbadoption.ca

Q10: Are there other resources of interest?

There are several resources available to you, including:

AdoptionCanada*
Adoption Council of Canada: www.adoption.ca
Canada’s Waiting Children Program: www.canadaswaitingkids.ca
Parentbooks: http://www.parentbooks.ca/Adoption.html
Family Helper: www.familyhelper.net
CanadaAdopts!: www.canadaadopts.com
EMK Press: www.emkpress.com
Adoption Clubhouse: www.adoptionclubhouse.org
Child Welfare Information Gateway: http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/
North American Council on Adoptable Children: www.nacac.org

Q11: What is AdoptionCanada?
AdoptionCanada is a listserv for all Canadians touched by adoption. It's a place for discussion among adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, prospective adopters, Canadian adoption advocates, support group members, agencies, adoption councils, provincial coordinators and professionals working in adoption. What does adoption mean to you? How does it impact you? What can we learn from each other? How can we work together to improve the system? This listserv is sponsored by The Adoption Council of Canada: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AdoptionCanada/

Q12: I still have questions, what do I do?

Please do not hesitate to contact the Adoption Council of Canada (ACC) with any questions or concerns about the adoption process: 1-888-54-ADOPT or info@adoption.ca. It is a pleasure to assist you in this journey!