Central Okanagan
Ministry placement is when the child to be adopted resides in foster care and has a certain legal status which makes them available for adoption. Ministry social workers with responsibility for planning for the child review home study assessments to select the family they feel will be the best match with the child given their age, gender and abilities.
It is the responsibility of the adoptive applicants to advise The Adoption Centre of BC of any changes in thier personal circumstances after approval such as: pregnancy, medical interventions to become pregnant, bankruptcy, separation or divorce, diagnosis of a physical or mental illness, criminal conviction, and/or change of employment to name a few.
Regardless of any change in circumstances, we require you to make contact with our office at minimal on a bimonthly basis in order to keep your profile active.
Profile Package
After your home study is complete, our agency will assist you to make a profile package that includes:
- a summary of your family characteristics and the child you are approved to adopt
- 2 photo pages
- 1-page letter introducing yourself and your desire to adopt one of BC’s Waiting Children
Your profile will be shown to Ministry social workers in various regions to be aware of for children who may be available with characteristics that match your description such as:
- age
- gender
- sibling group
- location within BC
- level of openness desired
- special needs
- risk factors
- interests and hobbies
The Adoption Centreof BC will also perform regular searches on your behalf on the Ministry’s Adoption Management System (AMS) where many of the children who ae available for adoption are registered.
The Adoption Centre of BC will follow up with the appropriate social worker should you identify a child in the on line Adoption Bulletin which matches your home study recommendations.
The Adoption Centre of BC will make you aware of any Ministry Matching Events open to attendance by prospective adoptive parents should they become available. If they are not open to attendance of prospective adoptive families, we will submit your profile to event hosts.
Matching
Ministry social workers responsible for planning for the child choose families from the profiles/home studies. If you are selected:
- You will receive her (or their) detailed medical and social history report(s)
- You will meet with the Ministry social worker responsible for planning for the child and possibly the foster parents caring for the child.
- If you choose to proceed, appropriate Ministry approvals are sought and transition planning begins designed to move the child into your home through a gradual process.
- Openness agreeements etc are developed as well.
Placement and Adoption
- In many cases it will take a period of time to transition the child from the foster home to the adoptive home. The transition could last weeks or months. The child would only move to the adopting parents home when psychologically ready to do so.
- You can expect a visit from a social worker shortly after placement and on several occasions thereafter to see how you are adjusting to parenthood.
- The adoption is eligible to be completed 6 months after the child moved into the adopting parents’ home. The adoption is legally completed in BC in Supreme Court.
Download: Adopting from Ministry of Child and Family Development (PDF)
To learn more about Ministry adoptions of BC’s Waiting Children please read through this document Ministry Adoption for futher details.
The Adoption Centre of British Columbia hs no influence over wait times as it is the social workers responsible for planning for children in care of the Ministry who choose families to place with.
