General information
Adoption in Québec
The Centre jeunesse de la Montérégie offers two different adoption programs:
Regular adoption
A child can be put up for adoption when their biological parents have signed a general consent to adoption.
Parents who want to adopt a child must:
- be comfortable talking openly with the child about their adoption history;
- be open to helping the child find their biological parents, if that is what the child decides to do;
- be open to meeting the biological parents if the latter indicate this intention when signing the general consent to adoption.
Adoptive families will automatically be assigned to a social worker until the end of the legal adoption process.
Adoption by a permanent foster family
A child whose chances of returning home are slim can be taken in by a permanent foster family. The child may eventually be adopted.
The parents in a permanent foster home must agree to:
- foster a child with the possibility of adopting, while knowing this outcome is not guaranteed;
- cooperate with all of the child’s caseworkers;
- participate in the intervention plan;
- allow contact between the child and their biological parents for as long as ordered by the Court of Québec’s Youth Division.
Permanent foster families are subject to the same requirements as regular foster families. They sign a specific agreement and receive services for the child under their care.
What are the steps involved?
Public information session
This half-day meeting is open to anyone interested in finding out about adoption. It provides general and legal information about the two adoption programs: regular adoption and permanent foster families.
The meetings are held as needed. There are generally 12 per year.
To register, call 450-928-4718.
Submit your application
If you want to adopt a child, you must call us at 450-928-4718.
Pre-screening interview
The purpose of the pre-screening interview is to identify any major obstacles to the parents’ adoption plans.
Education seminars
The education seminars prepare the applicants for taking in a child with a history of abandonment and neglect. They take place after the pre-screening interview and consist of two days of clinical discussions led by caseworkers.
Psychosocial assessment
The psychosocial assessment is carried out by caseworkers from the Centre jeunesse de la Montérégie adoption department.
The assessment covers several topics :
- The parents’ reasons for wanting to adopt;
- The candidates’ personal histories;
- The conjugal and/or family history;
- Aptitudes for becoming adoptive parents and/or a permanent foster family.
After the assessment, the Youth Centre will match a child with suitable adoptive parents in order to provide a home that best meets the child’s needs.
International adoption
Depending on the country from which the child is being adopted, candidates applying for international adoption must undergo a social skills assessment. This assessment is carried out by caseworkers designated by the Montérégie Youth Centre and must be approved by the institution. If the country in question requires it, these same caseworkers may also produce progress reports after the child moves in with their new family.
For more information about international adoption, visit the Secrétariat à l’adoption internationale (SAI) website.