You don’t have to share their genes to be their family.
Right now, there are a lot of children and youth in government care who need a home.
Adopt a child with special needs who is not able to live with their biological family and is in the permanent care of Children and Family Services.
Read this page and contact Alberta Adoption and Permanency Services.
Download and share our adoption awareness poster
Overview
Sometimes children are not able to live with their biological families and are placed in the permanent care of Alberta Children and Family Services. Some of these children become available for adoption placement. Children are matched for adoption with families who are trained and approved by Alberta Children and Family Services.
These children all have special needs. The needs include:
- being part of a sibling group that needs to stay together
- children who are between 10 and 17 years of age
- background including prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol, physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect
- medical, physical, developmental, behavioural, learning or emotional problems
For more information, read:
- Alberta’s Waiting Children booklet
- Applying to Adopt Information Sheet
- Requirements for Approval to Adopt Information Sheet
Adopt a child in government care process
Learn more about the processes and timelines for adopting a child in permanent government care.
The time frame from application to approval for adoption can very from 3 to 12 months. The time frame from approval to placement cannot be predicted as matching is based on the child’s needs.
Eligibility
To adopt a child, you must:
- be an Alberta resident
- be at least 18 years old
- demonstrate financial and domestic stability
- be physically and mentally capable of parenting an adoptive child
Families identify a minimum number of special needs they are willing to consider parenting.
For more information, read the Alberta’s Waiting Children booklet and the Applying to Adopt Information Sheet.
Cost
There are no costs to the applicant in applying, becoming approved, or being placed for adoption with a child who is in permanent government care.
You may need to pay to get supporting documentation, such as medical examinations, Criminal Record Checks or Vital Statistics documents (for example, a Marriage Certificate or Birth Certificate). These documents will not be returned if an Application for an Adoption Order is submitted to the Court of King’s Bench.
How to apply
Follow the steps below to complete the application process. Note, each regional office has their own process in place, so contact the intake office serving your area to confirm your next steps.
Fillable PDF forms do not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers.
If you are having problems opening the form, contact PDF form technical support.
Adoption profiles
You will be able to access information about children through:
Financial supports
Anyone who has adopted a child in Alberta can apply for the supports below. Eligibility varies by program.
- Canada Child Disability Benefit
- Canada Employment Insurance – Parental Benefits
- Alberta Child and Family Benefit
- Canada Child Benefit
Anyone who has adopted or was granted private guardianship of a child who was permanently in the care of the Alberta Government can also apply for:
Resources
Legal Advice – Lawyer Referral Service – Families who are involved in an adoption and require legal information can call toll-free to explain what they need and ask for a lawyer referral:
- 1‑800‑661‑1095
- 403‑228‑1722 (Calgary)
Child and Youth Permanency Council of Canada
Contact
Connect with Alberta Adoption and Permanency Services with questions or comments.