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How do Family Adoptions Work in Ontario?

Published: April 27, 2023

Last Updated: February 18, 2026

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How do Family Adoptions Work in Ontario?

We asked Paul Slan, lawyer and Director of Professional Development at Gelman & Associates, some commonly-asked questions about family adoptions in Ontario. Please be advised that these answers are not intended as legal advice, but rather as an introductory overview on a legal subject. For legal advice regarding family adoption in Ontario, we recommend consulting with a Toronto adoption lawyer.

How much does it cost to adopt a child in Ontario?

A family adoption typically involves a step-parent adopting the biological child of their partner. In this circumstance, there is no set fee. A lawyer will charge their hourly rate.

What are the requirements to adopt a child in Ontario for a family adoption?

With respect to family adoption, this typically involves a spouse, or what is commonly called a step-parent, who is the spouse of a birth parent. The step-parent may adopt a child through a court application, provided that they have the consent of the other birth parent. If they do not have the other birth parent’s consent, they may ask the court to dispense with that consent based on the best interests of the child.

How long does it take to process a family adoption in Ontario?

Every court in Ontario is different, so the process can take anywhere from three (3) months to a year.

How does this process work if you’re adopting a child from overseas?

An overseas adoption has to be done by an adoption agency.

What will disqualify you from a family adoption?

Lack of consent from one of the parents can disqualify you from a family adoption. However, it may be possible to ask the court to dispense with that consent and process the adoption, based on the best interests of the child.

What is the latest age you can adopt?

There is no age limit on family adoption.

Can a single person who is a family member adopt a child for a family adoption?

There is a certain class of relatives that can fit the definition of family adoption. If you are an aunt or uncle, for example, then you may fit the definition and be eligible to adopt. For more information on this, we recommend consulting with a family lawyer in Ontario to review your options.

How can a lawyer assist me with a family adoption?

A lawyer may assist with a family adoption by preparing the court documents, submitting them to the court, and seeing the process to completion.

Can parents reclaim an adopted child?

No. Once the adoption order is made, it is final. Parents cannot reclaim an adopted child.

Do birth parents have any rights after a family adoption?

Assuming that the birth parents have consented to the adoption order, and the adoption order is made, it is final. Some adoption orders do allow for some form of visitation by the birth parent, but other than that, they have no rights.

How do contested adoptions work?

The only contest would be if one birth parent does not consent to the adoption, in which case the court may determine whether it is in the child’s best interests to dispense with that requirement of consent.

Contact Gelman & Associates for a Consultation on Family Adoptions in Ontario

If you would like to learn more, or discuss the specifics of your case involving family adoption, contact us at Gelman & Associates and schedule a consultation today. We have offices across Ontario in order to provide our clients with better access to justice.

Disclaimer: For specific legal advice on your family law matter, please consult with a family law lawyer. The content in this article is not intended to act as legal advice and is instead intended to act as a general overview of a legal topic.

Written by Lisa Gelman

Senior Lawyer

Senior Lawyer Lisa Gelman has over 25 years of family law experience and founded Gelman & Associates to provide strategic legal counsel in family law matters concerning divorce, parenting, separation, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions - adoption

Yes, you can still adopt if you have a mental illness as long you know how to nurture a child’s demands. Having a disability does not prevent you from becoming an adoptive parent.

Yes, you can adopt when you’re older, and it’s worth noting that agencies can’t legally on age. As of now, more people are willing to adopt in the later years of their life.

The procedure of domestic adoption is similar throughout Canada, although it varies based on the agency or province with which you’re working. Applicants who use public adoption agencies have to attend initial intake meetings when the agency will explain the adoption process and give them an estimate of how long they’ll have to wait.

Applicants must next fill out the formal agency application. Adoptive parents in Ontario must complete a 27-hour educational course known as Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education (PRIDE). Other provinces’ agencies also need a comparable training program.

A home visit by an adoption professional or a social worker is the next stage, which is frequently done in conjunction with PRIDE training. Applicants must give autobiographical statements, a physical test, a police clearance check, a minimum of five letters of reference, and approval from the Children’s Aid Society during the home visit.

Applicants must meet an adoption licensee after the home visit is completed. For international adoptions, adoptees should get hold of the international agency before the home visit is conducted to verify that the country’s eligibility criteria are satisfied during the home visit.

Depending on what kind of adoption and which province you live in, the procedure might take anywhere from nine months to nine years. A report gets produced and given to the adoption practitioner or agency to be approved once the casework is done. It’s not up to one person to decide whether or not to accept a family.

Yes, it can be challenging to adopt in Canada. As of now, there are five ways you can adopt in the country, and each of them has its own complicated process that you should undergo.

There are five main types of adoption in Canada: adoption via the public welfare system, through a private adoption agency, from another country (international adoption), adoption of your stepchild, and from a birth relative (kinship adoption).

A home study is the first step in the adoption process. This process involves the assessment of your skills as a potential adoptive parent, and it is a tool designed to prepare you for the responsibilities of an adoptive parent. You need to finish this process to get your adoption approved.

Open adoption is when the biological mother and the adoptive family exchange information about each other. The amount of information shared between the two parties is discussed, including swapping photos, legal histories, and even visits. This is the opposite of closed adoption, which until recently was the adoption standard.

Adoption is a lifelong commitment, while foster care is a short-term or temporary arrangement that involves assigning a child to a family while the child’s parents undergo counseling. Even though the primary goal of foster care is to reunite the child with their parents, in some cases, the foster parents may end up adopting the child they have fostered.

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If you need legal advice regarding adoption matters in Ontario, contact our Toronto family law lawyers for a free consultation. Some conditions may apply.

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