
Common Questions
We’re thinking about adoptingLast reviewed in July 2022 by the Clicklaw Editors
Adoption in BC is governed by a provincial law called the Adoption Act. Anyone who lives permanently in BC can apply to adopt, including opposite- and same-sex couples.
There are four different types of adoptions:
- placement by the director of adoption (who works for the Ministry of Children and Family Development),
- placement by an adoption agency,
- direct placement (when the birth parent places a child with a non-relative), and
- relative adoption (adoption by a relative or step-parent).
Good starting points include:
- Adoption, from the Legal Aid BC, is a fact sheet that defines adoption, sets out how adoption works in BC, and provides links to other resources.
- Adoptions from the provincial government provides information on how to adopt a child in BC or from another country.
- Adoption of a child, from People's Law School, provides an overview of the adoption process.
- JP Boyd on Family Law: Family Relationships, from the Courthouse Libraries BC, contains a detailed section on Adoption.
Need more help?
- Call the Adoptive Families Association of BC (AFABC) at 1-877-ADOPT-07 (1-877-236-7807) to ask for more information about adoption in BC.
See our related common questions:
- tags
- adoption, adoption agency, international adoption, adopting