Consider Joining the Community of Adoptive Parents in Ottawa

The Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa (CASO) wants every child and youth to live in a family that will love and nurture them always. For some children, the family they need comes to them through adoption.

November is Adoption Awareness Month, the perfect opportunity to shine a light on public adoption, the requirements of those who can adopt and the journey through the approval process. CASO wants to ensure that those who are interested in adoption, as well as community members in general, are informed about the process of public adoption and their eligibility to adopt.

The process can be broken down into four phases: Contacting an adoption specialist through CASO’s Adoption Intake Line, attending an adoption information session, completing an adoption application and the final phase, which includes the screening of your application, the selection and home study.

Each of these phases is designed to serve as a potential decision point. The first three phases allow potential adoptive parents to determine if CASO’s adoption program is a good match for how they wish to grow their family. It’s important to determine if a family’s adoptive wishes match CASO’s needs.

With that in mind, CASO is always looking to grow and its community of prospective adoptive parents. Children and youth right here in Ottawa need their own stable, loving and encouraging environment to call home. They are looking for someone to be their permanent connection as they flourish and reach their full potential, and that someone could be you.

There are a series of basic requirements for anyone considering adoption, all of which can be found on CASO’s website, but it’s also important to consider the additional factors that make families a good match for children and youth. Ideally, adoptive parents would share the cultural background of the child, in order to ensure they keep them connected to their heritage and culture.

Children and youth who are waiting to be adopted come from a variety of cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Some are in sibling groups needing to be adopted together, while others are on their own, but have siblings in other homes. Most have experienced challenges in their short lives and need time, patience and help to adjust to a new home.

Children never outgrow the need for family. Contact our Adoption Intake Line at 613-742-1620 ext. 2 to receive more information!