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Adoption

Who May Apply to Adopt?

For a variety of reasons, there are children in Nova Scotia who cannot be raised by their birth families. Through adoption, children who need permanent homes can be matched with individuals who have a desire to parent.

Adoption applicants must be:
• Over 19 years of age;
• Residents of Nova Scotia;
• Canadian citizens or Landed Immigrant status;
• Singles or couples; and
• Common-law and same sex couples.

A homestudy must be completed on each family to ensure that the family can meet the needs of an adopted child.

There are fewer infants available for adoption than in the past. Families may apply to child placement agencies for infants but there is a lengthy waiting list.

There are children beyond infancy who are waiting for placement. Such children would be described as having “special needs”. This means that they have suffered physical/sexual/emotional abuse or neglect or have a physical/mental learning disability or have behavioural/emotional/medical problems or must be placed with siblings or require home of a specific racial/religious/linguistic or cultural background or any combination of these and other factors. Families are needed who are willing to make a long term commitment and are able to meet the challenges of raising these very special children.