Every November

November is Adoption Awareness Month, a time when Children’s Aid Societies in Ontario raise awareness within their communities about the continuing need for adoptive or kin families for the children in their care.  Creating permanency for children and youth is a key focal point for Ontario CASs.

Highland Shores Children’s Aid believes that every child has the right to grow and develop in a supportive family environment.  For some children this is not possible if their parents are unable to care for them.  The Society is asking families to consider adoption and the possibility of sharing their lives with a child or youth in need.

The Society offers many permanency options including adoption, kinship care arrangements, legal custody and long-term foster care.

In fiscal year 2017-18, a total of 10 adoptions at Highland Shores Children’s Aid were finalized (includes children and youth from other societies).The majority of children and youth who need permanent families are in the older age groups, yet they represent a small percentage of those being adopted.

Adoption is about ensuring a good match between a child or youth and a family.  Currently there are school-aged children, sibling groups and older children waiting to be adopted.  Our wish is that each one of them finds a forever family who will offer a stable, permanent home.

Like the Society’s foster families, adoptive families receive extensive support and training which includes standardized provincial training programs (PRIDE) and home study processes (SAFE).

We hope that by focusing on adoption during the month of November, we can encourage the members of our community to learn more about the process and ultimately consider accepting a child or youth as a permanent part of their family.  In this way, we hope that one day our goal of finding a home for every child in Ontario who needs one will become a reality.