Adoptable but Still in Limbo: The Forgotten Children in Canada

Thousands of children in Canada are available for adoption, but not being adopted, while many Canadian families are adopting overseas. This study presents a model incorporating four explanatory factors for overseas adoption preferences, and reports on preliminary efforts to test the model. One frequently-heard explanation is that families wanting to adopt are only interested in healthy infants, while crown wards tend to be older children, many with special needs. A sample of 119 families who filled in questionnaires in response to a public awareness campaign did not fit this stereotype; many would be willing to consider a child with special needs, or an older child. Results of a focus group, made up mainly of adoption professionals, suggest that the most significant barriers to adoption may lie in the funding and organization of the agency system. Plans for future research are discussed.