1. Free Canada Adoption/Family Search and Reunion is a closed group on the social media site, Facebook. According to their about section, this group is only for Canadian adoptees and their birth families to find each other. They currently have 7,898 members in their group. In order to join this group, you will need to click the join group button which will bring you to three questions that you must answer in order to be accepted into the group. The questions are: Are you an adoptee in a search or are you searching for an adoptee, Do you intend to sell anything, and did you read the pinned post at the top of the page? Once you answer these three questions, you will have to wait for an administrator to approve your request.  To find this group go to this Facebook page.
2. Parent Finders Ottawa is a nonprofit organization that is part of the Parent Finders of Canada network. They are volunteers that provide information and support to help reunite families separated by adoption. Their services include registering people in their matching database and educating people on their legal rights under provincial laws. Check out their website here.
3. Mouvement Retrouvailles is a nonprofit organization with over 13,000 members. They have four main objectives which are: to ensure that the rights of both adoptees and non-adopted persons, as well as those of the birth and adoptive parents, are respected, to increase awareness for adoption-related issues in the public at large, to do away with the taboos surrounding adoption,  and to provide support to people who are experiencing difficulties before, during, or after their search for a birth parent or child placed for adoption. You can visit them at their website here. 

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1. Find Out If You Are Eligible to Adopt Internationally

In the U.S., you need to be a legal citizen who is at least twenty-five years old to adopt if you are single. If you are married, you and your spouse must adopt the child together even if you are separated. Your spouse also needs to be a U.S. citizen or have legal status in the United States. You will need a home study, background checks, and fingerprinting to determine your suitability to adopt. You should also find out about your state’s requirements on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website.

2. Find Out If You Are Eligible to Adopt in Canada

Each province in Canada has its own regulations, so you will want to be certain that you meet them. You may be asked to complete some kind of adoption training and demonstrate qualities such as empathy, commitment, patience, and flexibility. You will also be asked to complete a home study. Canada is a Hague country, so you will be required to travel there and obtain a Visa for your child. Children available for international adoption will be those who were not placed in Canada. This may be because of their age (they are over two years old) because they are part of a sibling group, or because they have suffered abuse, neglect, or alcohol exposure that have led to delays in their learning and developing.

3. Find Out If You Have the Financial Resources

International adoption into the U.S. can range anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000. Find out if you are eligible for the U.S. government tax credit, which is over $13,000 per child, and ask your employer about any reimbursement opportunities for adoptions. There are also many grants you can apply for.

4. Types of Adoptions

In Canada, there are five main types of adoptions:

1. Adopting an infant, child, or youth from the public welfare system.
2. Adopting an infant or child privately
3. Adopting from another country (International)
4. Adopting stepchildren
5. Adopting a birth relative (kinship)

The most common type of adoption for Canadian citizens is International. 

You may want to look on a website like canadaswaitingchildren.ca/, http://canadaheartgallery.ca/, or http://www.adoptontario.ca/ before beginning your journey. You can begin by emailing or calling the contact information on the website, and find out about the provincial requirements for adoption. You can also contact private adoption agencies in Canada, such as Small Miracles Adoption or Choices Adoption and Counseling, or U.S. agencies to inquire about your eligibility. As always, if you called to adopt a certain child or sibling group, be encouraged that the joy of changing a child’s life is worth every step of the process.

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