Adoption
Adoption is a provincially regulated program, which is legislated through the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act. To be eligible to apply for adoption in Alberta, you are required to be a resident in Alberta, be at least 18 years old, must demonstrate financial and domestic stability and be physically and mentally capable of parenting an adoptive child. The best interests of the child being adopted is the key consideration of the adoption process. There are three types of adoptions in Alberta, namely:
- A public adoption: which a child is adopted from the child welfare system.
- Private adoption: These generally are newborns or young infants, which the birth parents have an opportunity to select the prospective adoptive applicants through a licensed adoption agency. Private adoptions also include a step-parent adoption or relative adoption, which may be uncomplicated when the permission of the birth parent is obtained. However, this process can be hindered if the birth parent’s consent is not easily obtainable due to the fact that they either do not consent or cannot be located. A private adoption requires an agreement between the birth parents and adoptive parents.
- International adoption: this is a complex process, as the requirements can vary from country to country.
There are a number of steps, that can be quite onerous, that must be taken when commencing a public adoption. A few of these steps include, contacting a local adoption office to initiate the process, completing the appropriate application package, which may require a family physician to complete a medical reference, a minimum of three personal references, a Criminal Record Check an Intervention Record Check and the completion of a Home Study Report. A Home Study Report is an intensive assessment, which is intended to provide the home study practitioner with an insight into a family’s functioning, capacity, expectations of adoptive parenting and suitability for adoption. At the conclusion of the Home Study Report, prospective adoptive parents will be provided with a recommendation on whether or not they are approved.
With a private adoption the prospective adoptive parents are required to file an Application and supporting documentation with the Court of Queen’s Bench, and serve the documentation on the appropriate parties involved. Once this step is completed, there are a variety of Orders which a Justice may grant, including an Adoption Order, an Order requiring further information, an Order requiring the completion of a Home Study, an Order requiring an oral hearing or the Application may be dismissed. The prospective adoptive parents may also be required to complete similar steps when applying for a public adoption.
If you require legal assistance and guidance on any of the different types of adoption, the family lawyers at SVR can help make the process less burdensome and stressful.
[Janet] thanks for letting me know of your retirement… I’m sad to see you go but hope for your rest and enjoyment for all you’ve done for my family and others… With all my thanks I want to express all my appreciation for all you’ve done for us and all the grief it was to deal with! You were the right fit.
I write this review based on my experience when working with Stacey Lee as my legal representative. Simply put, Stacey is attentive (or vigilant if you prefer), knowledgeable, professional, fair, and personable. It was important for me to have someone that was responsive and competent. I never waited more than 24 hours for a reply and am very happy with the resulting agreement that was created, as it represented a solution that was best for all parties involved – which was important to me. Stacey likes to say I was the ideal client, but the reality is that she was the ideal representative, providing legal advice, while keeping me abreast of the big picture. Based on my experience with Stacey, I highly recommend her.
From the moment we met, Janet had not only a business approach to my situation but also a level of compassion and friendliness. I’ve worked now with Janet for years and not one time did she fail to meet my expectations. I have always felt at ease just hearing her voice. If she didn’t have the answer immediately, she has always provided one promptly. She has been my Rock and Sounding Board. I’ve referred her to others. If anyone is in need of a GREAT family lawyer, Janet Russell in my view is the lady to contact.
Stacey, Thank you once again for all your help with my file. I can’t express how much I appreciated you having my back yesterday and you do it so calmly. Your perspective and guidance helped me a lot – thank you. It felt like a whirlwind of numbers but you helped me keep perspective as we went along…Thank you again for helping us bring things to closure.
Very satisfied with the services provided by the lawyers at SVR Lawyers! It was a long and convoluted divorce process, but Abram Averbach, Cindy Lee and their assistants have helped me to navigate through it and finalize it. I highly recommend them!
Stacey Lee handled the sale of my business and separation from a spouse attending to both my corporate and family law matters. Stacey provided a calm and realistic voice when tensions and emotions were high. Stacey approached the resolution of my files with opposing counsel in a collaborative way, seeking to reduce court appearances and conflict between all parties involved. I would work with Stacey again and recommend her to anyone requiring assistance in family or corporate matters.