Adoption and Permanence Education Month
As we embrace Adoption and Permanence Education Month in November, we’re thrilled to share the remarkable progress we’ve made at the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) in creating loving, permanent families. This year has been filled with significant milestones:
In 2023, we’ve had the privilege of placing 16 children and youth on the path to finding their forever families. These young lives are now filled with hope and possibilities.
The year 2023 has seen the finalization of 13 adoptions, and we’re well on our way to reaching the goal of finalizing 24 adoptions. Each finalized adoption represents a life forever changed, and we couldn’t be happier for these families.
Currently, we have 47 approved families who are eagerly awaiting adoption placements. In addition, several families are in PRIDE training or in the process of completing their home studies, a promising sign of more successful placements to come.
We’re proud to share that we’ve made great strides in finding permanent families for some of the most complex situations. For instance, we recently placed a 17-year-old with intricate emotional, identity, and medical needs into a loving adoptive family. We’ve also facilitated the connection of a 17-year-old to a family through their network, ensuring a lifelong commitment. Additionally, we’ve recently placed two sibling sets with complex needs and a child with extremely intricate medical requirements. This work is a testament to the incredible skill and commitment of our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters and adoption specialists in building families.
Our agency is deeply committed to permanency through adoption, particularly in situations where reunification is not possible. We prioritize preserving the child’s connections to their culture, identity, and community. This ensures that every child finds the love and stability they truly deserve.
This Adoption and Permanence Education Month, we invite you to join us in celebrating these achievements and the profound difference we make in the lives of children and families. Each adoption represents a triumph of love and hope, and it’s a testament to the incredible work we do every day.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication. Together, we are changing lives, one adoption at a time. 🏠❤️
Adopting Through Your CAS
If you are NEW to considering adoption in Ontario, we invite you to first contact Centralized Adoption Intake through the Adoption Council of Ontario to get more information. Once you have done this and continue to feel that public adoption at CCAS is right for you please call 416-395-1520 to further explore the possibility and to complete the application process.
Adoption Process
Applicants in Ontario must complete the following requirements in order to adopt:
- Complete a SAFE (Structured Analysis, Family Evaluation) home study.
- Complete PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education) pre-service training.
The SAFE home study
The homestudy is a comprehensive assessment which will include interviews, home visits, and the submission of supporting documents such as criminal reference checks, personal references, and financial/medical forms.
PRIDE Training
PRIDE pre-service training is a nine-module (27-hour) program used to prepare and educate families interested in adoption, kinship care, customary care, and fostering. The curriculum includes:
- Adoption and child welfare systems, processes, and laws
- Attachment and loss
- Child development and identified needs specific to adopted children
- Identity formation and the importance of cultural and racial awareness
- The importance of connections and continuity for children
Adoption FAQs
The following are the minimum requirements to begin the application process:
- At least one applicant is Catholic and in agreement to raise the child or young person Catholic
- Single applicants accepted
- Applicants shall be over age 18 at the time of the application
- Applicants reside in Toronto. Consideration is given to applicants who reside outside of Toronto where it appears to be in the best interest of a specific child
- Must be open to adopting an older child or youth and accepting of a child or youth’s special needs
- Good general health
- Financially self-sufficient
- Consent of all immediate family members
- Demonstrated healthy individual and family histories
- No substance abuse; no condoning of illegal substances
- No criminal charges pending or significant criminal background
- No verified or suspected incidents of child abuse
- Adequate living and sleeping premises for a child
- Demonstrated ability to carry out essential duties of parenting
- Ability to ensure a child will have appropriate developmental environment
- Adequate communication skills
- Willingness to learn new skills
- Willingness to work with the agency and other professionals
- Sensitivity to cultural differences and backgrounds of children
Any previous CAS service involvement will be evaluated on an individual basis.There are many steps in the adoption process. Some move quickly, while other steps require more time and careful consideration.
You will first speak with an adoption worker to review the process and criteria.
There is no charge for a public adoption.
- Adoptive parents are provided with as much information as we have in order to make a decision about adopting a specific child.
- We provide educational opportunities for prospective adoptive parents to learn more about children’s needs before, during and after placement. We provide post-adoption support and in some circumstances adoption subsidies.
- Adoptive parents are introduced to the young person in a gradual and planned way. This allows adoptive parents and the young person an opportunity to get to know each other. Adoptive parents work closely with the previous caregivers and adoption worker to ensure that the transition is a positive experience.
If you are NEW to considering adoption in Ontario, we invite you to first contact Centralized Adoption Intake through the Adoption Council of Ontario at www.adoption.on.ca/CI to get more information. Once you have done this and continue to feel that public adoption at CCAS is right for you please call 416-395-1520 to further explore the possibility and to complete the application process.
Adoption openness can include written, verbal or face-to-face contact or communication between a child and any person that is deemed to be an important connection to the child. Communication may be direct or indirect and may include either identifying or non-identifying information.
- If you meet the eligibility requirements listed, you can call 416-395-1520 to discuss the next steps. You will be asked to forward your completed home study, PRIDE training certificate and the supporting documents (references, medical report, etc.) to us to be reviewed.
- If accepted, an adoption worker will be assigned to meet with you to further discuss our requirements and the adoption process.
- The worker’s recommendation and your application will be reviewed. Should your application be approved, you will be registered with the CCAS as a potential adoptive family.
- The Adoption Worker continues to visit and provide support to the child and adoptive family until the adoption is finalized.
- After the adoption is finalized, the adoption worker is available for consultation, referral and support.
Additional Resources
The Adoption Council of Ontario is a not-for-profit organization providing outreach, support, and education to all adoptees, adoptive parents, potential adoptive parents, birth families, and adoption professionals in Ontario.
A photo listing website that connects children from CASs in Ontario waiting for adoption with families in Ontario. Adopt Ontario is a program of the Adoption Council of Ontario.
The Adoption Resource Exchange conference is an MCCSS funded program that helps locate and match adoptive families with Ontario children needing adoption. These events are hosted a few times a year by the Adoption Council of Ontario.
Adopt4Life–Ontario’s Association for kin, customary care, and adoptive parents and caregivers, is a community of people with lived experience that strengthens and empowers parents and caregivers to achieve permanency for children so that they reach their full potential.
MCCSS provides oversight of CASs and CAS children and youth who are available to be adopted.
