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Adoption Lawyers Toronto

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Result-Oriented Adoption Lawyers with Offices in Toronto and throughout Ontario

From time to time, children are unable to live with one or both of their birth parents either due to significant hardships or due to an inherent inability to adequately and wholly care for them. When this occurs, adoption in Toronto is a viable alternative. An alternative that  ensures the child(ren) will be embraced by a welcoming family; a family that yearns for children and has the ability to look after them properly. If you want to know more about the process of adoption in Toronto, read on.

What is Adoption?

Adoption is the legal means by which people can permanently take on the responsibility of caring for and raising a child.

In Toronto and within Ontario, there are four ways a child can be adopted:

  • either by an immediate family member or a step-parent;
  • through various children’s aid societies;
  • through a licensed individual or private adoption agency; or
  • through a recognized licensed international adoption agency with offices in the province.

What Factors Do the Courts Consider During the Adoption Process?

Regardless of the path taken to adopt a child, the Court’s primary goal will be to assess and support the best interests, safety and well-being of the children, who will technically also adopt a family in Toronto in the process.

This assessment is based on a variety of factors such as:

  • the child’s physical, emotional and mental needs;
  • the child’s cultural and religious background;
  • the child’s relationships with blood relatives; and
  • the child’s own requests.
Things to Do When Adopting Things Not to Do When Adopting
  • Educate yourself about child adoption
  • Work with an accredited adoption organization / social worker
  • Follow the proper application process
  • Don’t accept an abandoned child without a court order/adoption order.
  • Don’t rush the process. Adoption agencies spend a lot of time screening potential adoptive parents. Be patient.
  • Don’t deal directly with a birth parent without a social worker.

Although it is always incumbent on the adoptive family to familiarize themselves with the process of adoption in Ontario, we have adoption lawyers here at Gelman & Associates who are well-equipped and ready to assist you in navigating the adoptions process.

Pro Tip

If you’re looking to adopt a child from abroad, you should consider the processes and legalities that you might encounter.

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Contact Our Adoption Lawyers at one of Our Six Offices throughout Aurora, Barrie, Downtown Toronto, Mississauga North York and Scarborough

At Gelman & Associates, our adoption lawyer is committed to providing exceptional legal service to our clients throughout the adoption process. Contact us today to learn how our experienced adoption lawyer can help facilitate the adoption of your next family member!

With six offices conveniently located throughout Aurora, Barrie, Downtown Toronto, Mississauga North York and Scarborough, we are easily accessible by transit and off-highway. Call us at (416) 736-0200 or  1-844-736-0200 or contact us online for a confidential initial consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Home study can be walked through by a provincially approved adoption practitioner. In certain jurisdictions, like Ontario, you can locate one through an adoption agency or on your own. You’ll need an adoption licensee or agency to help you with the legal procedures, depending on which path you select.
You can seek help from a variety of people, organizations, and individuals. An excellent place to start is the Adoption Council of Canada. Also, inquire about what governmental and private adoption agencies, adoption licenses, and adoption practitioners have to offer.

Still have family law questions?

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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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