Expectant Mother – Adoption Journey Series…

Following on from the previous post, I felt this information might be helpful to others who are reading along and thinking about adoption…

The required forms were as follows:

• The Application to Adopt – a five page document that is about you. Your work history, cultural/racial heritage, belief systems, interests, financial standing, medical history, upbringing, and references.
• The Adoption Questionnaire – this is a two page questionnaire about the children that you would like to adopt. It asks questions like age, race, religion, disabilities the child may have, and the types of backgrounds they may come from (experiences they may have encountered in their short, sometimes uncomfortable lives). This form comes with a booklet of explanations on some of the health issues and mental challenges listed to assist you to make your choices.
• Then there were two or three other forms, that were one page forms giving consent for things like criminal records check, and consent to collection and disclosure of information.

When I say that the forms that are required to be considered as an adoptive parent candidate are not as scary as I had imagined, I feel as though I have a little authority on this matter – as an immigrant to Canada I had to fill in A LOT of forms to become a citizen (starting with a working visa, then permanent residency, then citizenship). So in comparison, the forms for adoption are a piece of cake!

Of course, you do still need to know where you lived for the last five years, where you worked, what your income and expenses are, and you will need to write a little about your spiritual beliefs and how you might want to raise your children. But with a little thought and attention you can easily fill in The Application to Adopt form in under an hour.

The Questionnaire was a little trickier, but I took my time and filled it in over the course of a few days.

I am, however, one of those people who adore filling in questionnaires of any sort…as the kind people of Scientology found out one day when they stopped me on the sidewalk and asked me to fill in their questionnaire in exchange for a dinner/movie voucher! (another story…but to alleviate your curiosity, I did not join their church – I did enjoy the questionnaire and the dinner/movie pass afterward!)

So, while this is an important one and worthy of some thought, if you spare a few hours to sit and read through the pamphlet on how to fill in the form and make your selections it’s not too hard.

Theresa  gave me some advice for this form and told me to check as many boxes as I was comfortable with, and if anything was an uncertainty for me (that is I didn’t know for certain that I would or would not accept these “issues”) then check the box. The more boxes checked the more children you can be matched with in the system.

She also advised me that we will revisit this Questionnaire many times over the process as I gain better understanding of the topics that it covers through the courses I will complete, the books I will read, and the people I will meet who have adopted children who fall into those categories.

One thing she told me to remember – and I feel it’s worth repeating now: You don’t have to follow through on any of these matches, but, if a child exhibits some (“x”) signs then the Ministry has to mark them as (“x”) in the system, even if it’s just a hint of that “category”. When it might be that these were signs of something else entirely that with a little love and stability those signs will melt away.

So…check as many boxes as possible.

If there is something you definitely don’t feel comfortable with – for example, for me one of those things is lifetime dependency – then don’t check that box.

The other forms, criminal records check, consent to collect and share information, etc, were pretty much fill in your name, address, and then sign and date.

The overall feeling that both Theresa and Jennifer impressed upon me – thank you so much ladies – was that if you are considering becoming an adoptive parent (or foster parent) then get your forms in immediately. Once you’re in the system and approved to adopt (or foster) then you can always choose to move ahead if your profile is a match to waiting children.

The approval process takes time, and if you are on the fence about whether adoption or foster care is the right path for you, then I’d suggest calling your local Ministry office and talking with a social worker.  Or in BC Call: 1 877 ADOPT 07 / 1 877 236-7807

Note: All of the links in this post are for adoption through the Ministry in BC. On my Adoption page, I also have links to other sites which would have the relevant information for other provinces, or for USA.

If this information helped you please leave me a comment. Or, if you know someone who is considering adoption or foster care, please share this information with them.

Warm smiles and love,
Ali Jayne