Adoption Services (AS)

Performance Indicators

5.76 Per Cent of Children Eligible for Adoption Placed in Adoption Homes

Rationale

Evidence has shown that children require a stable and continuous relationship with a nurturing caregiver to maximize physical, social emotional and cognitive development. If this relationship is not possible with the birth family or other Out-of-Care (OCO) options, then for children whom the ministry has legal permanent guardianship (CYIC), adoption is an alternative.

This indicator trended up between late 2013 and early 2016, then decreased since March 2016. The upward trend is due to a strategic initiative in April of 2014 and 2015, and additional investments, to increase the number of CYIC that find permanency. Since then, the trend was relatively flat until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic at which time it dropped somewhat and has remained at that decreased level until now.

The trend in adoption rate for Indigenous CYIC is lower than that of their Non-Indigenous counterparts. This, in part, is due to Indigenous children being more likely to have siblings, requiring common placement, as well as the importance of ensuring their cultural connectedness. An increased downward dip in the Indigenous adoption rate coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as it did for the Non-Indigenous CYIC.

Despite making progress in finding homes for children and youth age 12 or older, the improvement in the indicator is mainly driven by the significant increase in adoptions for children under the age of 12, who represented almost 85% of all children adopted for the past three years.

5.77 Time Taken for CYIC to go from Permanent Status to Adoption Placement

Rationale

For CYIC who are no longer able to return to their family, achieving permanency through adoption is a desirable option. Research has found that a longer history in out of home care, as well as a child’s age at time of adoption are risk factors strongly associated with an adoption placement’s chances for success, meaning that once it is determined that adoption is the best option for a child, it should take place without unnecessary delays.

The median time from permanent ward to adoption placement has fluctuated since the September 2012, which is used as a baseline. The wait time for Indigenous children has increased by 10 months, while for non-Indigenous children it has increased by 1 month as comapared to the baseline. The provincial wait time has increased by 2 months to 27 months as at March 31, 2023. The wait time for Non-Indigenous children is still substantially lower than that of Indigenous children. The proportion of placements that were for Indigenous children is 41% in the past three fiscal years.

Historically, it has been easier to place younger children in adoption homes than older ones. This remained true this period. Children under the age of 12 experienced a median wait time of 22 months. Children ages 12 and over experienced a median wait time of 82 months this fiscal year, up from 43.5 months two fiscal years ago.

Of course, it is expected that children who had to wait longer for their adoptive families were older when they were placed but data also show that a child’s chances of finding an adoptive family are greater in the first two years in permanent care. Currently, the ministry initiative continues to address both faster placements for new permanent wards as well as trying to find homes for the older children who have been waiting for a long time. With a continued focus on permanency, it is expected that most children will find a permanent option earlier in their care experience.

Although, with fluctiations in between, the current performance trend for this indicator shows no difference since the baseline period of September 2012 in the number of months spent waiting for a placement.

On average, Indigenous children experience longer periods between being eligible for adoption and being placed in an adoption home, but since the baseline period of September 2012 the wait period for Indigenous children has decreased by 3 months, while the wait period for non- Indigenous children has increased by less than 1 month since the baseline period.