On June 1, 2009, Ontario will become the fifth Canadian province to open adoption records. The other four provinces with open adoption records are British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Newfoundland.
Approximately 250,000 adoption orders have been filed in Ontario since 1921. Open records will allow adults who were adopted in Ontario to apply for copies of their adoption order and birth registration. Birth parents will also be able to apply for identifying information from these documents.
There has been a battle to open adoption records in Ontario for years. Open records has been a long time coming and means that adult adoptees will be able to learn their birth names as well as the names of their birth parents. Birth parents will be able to learn the name their child was given after their adoption.
Birth parents and adult adoptees whose adoption was finalized before September 1, 2008, can file a disclosure veto to prevent the release of identifying information. To date, only a very small percentage of adoptees or birth parents have filed a veto.
Should involved parties have a preference for how they are contacted, they may file a "notice of contact preference" providing the details of how they can be contacted. If an adopted adult or birthmother or birthfather do not wish to be contacted by the other party they may file a "no contact notice". Doing so would allow the release of the information but impose a fine on those who do make contact against the other parties wishes.
Adopted adults, birth parents, adult birth siblings and birth grandparents can apply to have their names placed on the Adoption Disclosure Register. Should there be a match between an adoptee and a birth relative, the matched individuals will be provided with the contact information that has been provided to the Register.
Visit ServiceOntario.ca to file a disclosure veto, a no contact notice, a notice of contact preference or to place your name on the Adoption Disclosure Register.
AdoptionConnections.ca
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Ontario & British Columbia Adoptive Parents
Are you facing an unplanned pregnancy and looking for adoptive parents in Ontario or British Columbia, Canada? I am a birthmother and I recall being surprised at how hard it was to find the couple I was looking for to adopt my baby. Given all the couples looking to adopt, I really didn't expect it to be hard to find parents for my son. It was indeed difficult to find the right family. At
AdoptionConnections.ca we hope to offer you options and make it easier for you to find the family for whom you are searching.
All of our hopeful adoptive parents have completed a home study and are approved to adopt. They would be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you may have. If you are looking for adoptive parents for your baby visit Adoption Connections Parent Registy to find the family that is right for you.
Good luck in your adoption journey.
Shelley Ibbotson
Adoption Connections
AdoptionConnections.ca we hope to offer you options and make it easier for you to find the family for whom you are searching.
All of our hopeful adoptive parents have completed a home study and are approved to adopt. They would be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you may have. If you are looking for adoptive parents for your baby visit Adoption Connections Parent Registy to find the family that is right for you.
Good luck in your adoption journey.
Shelley Ibbotson
Adoption Connections
Saturday, May 2, 2009
From a Birthmother's Heart to Prospective Adoptive Parents
In 2004, birthmother, Tara Nielsen, wrote this wonderful letter for a newsletter for prospective adoptive parents. Her birth son, Thomas is now nine years old. Tara is now married to Chad, Thomas' birth father and they are proud parents of a beautiful little girl.
Being a birthmother myself, I loved this letter, as it does a wonderful job of educating while dispelling a number of adoption myths. Kudos Tara and thanks for allowing us to share it with an even wider audience.
Dear Prospective Adoptive Parents,
I have been asked to share with you what I, as a birthmother, wish adoptive parents knew. It is difficult for me to find the right words to describe the many things I wish adoptive parents knew. I became a birthmother almost five years ago and now have a wonderful relationship with my son, Thomas and his adoptive family. This relationship has taken a lot of hard work, honesty, communication and trust. Some of what I write may be hard to read. It is not my intention to scare or shock you, but to educate you. My hope is that this letter will assist you as you continue in your adoption journey.
Just as each person is different, each birthparent is different. There is not one specific thing or a list of specific qualities that each potential birthparent looks for when finding parents for his or her child. Many birthparents look for families who practice a specific religion or who have similar racial or cultural backgrounds as themselves. I wanted to find parents who were like me – liked to travel, liked to “play”, had similar values and beliefs, as well as many other qualities. I chose parents for my son because they seemed to parent like I thought I might one day.
After I placed my son for adoption I learned some truths about open adoption that I would like to share with you. Firstly, open adoption relationships are hard work and require a lot of commitment. Birthparents love their children and want the best for them. Please know that birthparents do not place their children for adoption to make your family complete. They place them because they want to make their child complete. We consider you, the parents, to be a gift for our child, not the other way around.
You might become fearful and question their intentions when your child’s birthparents want to visit with your child frequently or call frequently in the beginning. Please understand that in the beginning most birthparents are unsure that they have made the right decision. I know my mind wondered frequently, “Have I made the right choice?” Most birthparents call or visit frequently not because they desire to intrude or disrupt, but because they find peace in their decision when they can see how much you love your child.
During visits or phone calls your child’s birthparents may become emotional, especially in the beginning. The harsh reality of open adoption is that the birthparents hurt and grieve. It will not be easy to watch your child’s birthparent as they grieve. You might question the benefits of your open adoption agreement. You might think it is too hard for your child’s birthparents – that maybe you should take a step back. Do not think that it would be easier for your child’s birthparents if you cut off contact with them. When it comes to their child most birthparents did not seek the easy route, but instead they sought what was best for their child. Please do not jump to conclusions about the birthparents’ emotions. They are capable of knowing when they need to step back.
Promises are sacred. Please keep your promises for contact and visitation even when you are “scared”. Open adoption should not be based on the adoptive parents’ or the birthparents’ fluctuating feelings. Open adoption is for your child. Your fear is a reason, not an excuse. Never think your child’s birthparents are not and were not afraid. As they place their child into your waiting arms they are terrified! When you think of all they have asked of you, think for a moment what you have asked of them - their child.
People will question your “realness” as a parent and you may tell them, “I am the one who changes diapers, kisses boo-boos and buys her clothes, therefore I am the real parent”. Please know that most birthparents do not place their children because they could not change a diaper. We can wake up in the middle of the night for feedings, we can kiss boo-boos, and even though money is often tight, we can buy clothing. Both the birth and adoptive parents are “real”, but by placing our children for adoption we have given you permission to be the parents. By recognizing the birthparents’ role in your child’s life, you lose nothing, but we all gain so much.
Birthparents place their children with adoptive families because you can give the child what they could not, at that given time. They can provide them with shelter, but often not direction. They are often still struggling to find their own way in life. Birthparents can give hugs, but often not proper discipline. They are still often trying to find order in their own lives. Birthparents can give their child love, but they often cannot give their child the best.
Claiming to be the “real” parent takes away from one and gives to another. Do not tear down your child’s birthparents and belittle their sacrifices in order to build yourself up. You have sacrificed, and birthparents thank you, but they signed their parental rights away, not the right to love their child and not their right to be their child’s parent by birth.
This letter was written in hopes of giving other birthparents a voice and to help you understand birthparents better. Of course, I do not claim to speak for all birthparents. Each has their own story and they have a right to tell it. All too often birthparents remain silent, although their hearts speak volumes. Questions and doubts battle through their minds as they seek the courage to speak or the grace to not. Good luck to all of you!
Sincerely,
Tara Nielsen
Proud Birthmother
Printed with permission of the author.
Being a birthmother myself, I loved this letter, as it does a wonderful job of educating while dispelling a number of adoption myths. Kudos Tara and thanks for allowing us to share it with an even wider audience.
Dear Prospective Adoptive Parents,
I have been asked to share with you what I, as a birthmother, wish adoptive parents knew. It is difficult for me to find the right words to describe the many things I wish adoptive parents knew. I became a birthmother almost five years ago and now have a wonderful relationship with my son, Thomas and his adoptive family. This relationship has taken a lot of hard work, honesty, communication and trust. Some of what I write may be hard to read. It is not my intention to scare or shock you, but to educate you. My hope is that this letter will assist you as you continue in your adoption journey.
Just as each person is different, each birthparent is different. There is not one specific thing or a list of specific qualities that each potential birthparent looks for when finding parents for his or her child. Many birthparents look for families who practice a specific religion or who have similar racial or cultural backgrounds as themselves. I wanted to find parents who were like me – liked to travel, liked to “play”, had similar values and beliefs, as well as many other qualities. I chose parents for my son because they seemed to parent like I thought I might one day.
After I placed my son for adoption I learned some truths about open adoption that I would like to share with you. Firstly, open adoption relationships are hard work and require a lot of commitment. Birthparents love their children and want the best for them. Please know that birthparents do not place their children for adoption to make your family complete. They place them because they want to make their child complete. We consider you, the parents, to be a gift for our child, not the other way around.
You might become fearful and question their intentions when your child’s birthparents want to visit with your child frequently or call frequently in the beginning. Please understand that in the beginning most birthparents are unsure that they have made the right decision. I know my mind wondered frequently, “Have I made the right choice?” Most birthparents call or visit frequently not because they desire to intrude or disrupt, but because they find peace in their decision when they can see how much you love your child.
During visits or phone calls your child’s birthparents may become emotional, especially in the beginning. The harsh reality of open adoption is that the birthparents hurt and grieve. It will not be easy to watch your child’s birthparent as they grieve. You might question the benefits of your open adoption agreement. You might think it is too hard for your child’s birthparents – that maybe you should take a step back. Do not think that it would be easier for your child’s birthparents if you cut off contact with them. When it comes to their child most birthparents did not seek the easy route, but instead they sought what was best for their child. Please do not jump to conclusions about the birthparents’ emotions. They are capable of knowing when they need to step back.
Promises are sacred. Please keep your promises for contact and visitation even when you are “scared”. Open adoption should not be based on the adoptive parents’ or the birthparents’ fluctuating feelings. Open adoption is for your child. Your fear is a reason, not an excuse. Never think your child’s birthparents are not and were not afraid. As they place their child into your waiting arms they are terrified! When you think of all they have asked of you, think for a moment what you have asked of them - their child.
People will question your “realness” as a parent and you may tell them, “I am the one who changes diapers, kisses boo-boos and buys her clothes, therefore I am the real parent”. Please know that most birthparents do not place their children because they could not change a diaper. We can wake up in the middle of the night for feedings, we can kiss boo-boos, and even though money is often tight, we can buy clothing. Both the birth and adoptive parents are “real”, but by placing our children for adoption we have given you permission to be the parents. By recognizing the birthparents’ role in your child’s life, you lose nothing, but we all gain so much.
Birthparents place their children with adoptive families because you can give the child what they could not, at that given time. They can provide them with shelter, but often not direction. They are often still struggling to find their own way in life. Birthparents can give hugs, but often not proper discipline. They are still often trying to find order in their own lives. Birthparents can give their child love, but they often cannot give their child the best.
Claiming to be the “real” parent takes away from one and gives to another. Do not tear down your child’s birthparents and belittle their sacrifices in order to build yourself up. You have sacrificed, and birthparents thank you, but they signed their parental rights away, not the right to love their child and not their right to be their child’s parent by birth.
This letter was written in hopes of giving other birthparents a voice and to help you understand birthparents better. Of course, I do not claim to speak for all birthparents. Each has their own story and they have a right to tell it. All too often birthparents remain silent, although their hearts speak volumes. Questions and doubts battle through their minds as they seek the courage to speak or the grace to not. Good luck to all of you!
Sincerely,
Tara Nielsen
Proud Birthmother
Printed with permission of the author.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
