I am looking to adopt
If you are a family wishing to adopt, our professional staff will provide the support and care you need. We will help you navigate the emotional, legal and practical steps of building your family through adoption. Our qualified staff will provide social work services to all parties involved in the adoption plan.
Before you apply with us
Find out all you can about adoption in Ontario – here are two resources: Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) and Adoption Council of Ontario.
- Attend the PRIDE training course. This is mandatory for all families adopting in Ontario.
- Have a Homestudy completed by an Approved Private Adoption Practitioner
- Begin creating a draft photo profile about your family
Application and Selection Process
For information about our fees and services, or any other questions not covered in the FAQs, please call us at 905-821-7494.
JFJ Hope Centre Adoption Services recognizes the frustration that many ‘Adopt Ready’ families in Ontario are feeling during this season when many adoption licensees/agencies have not been in a position to accept new applicants. Please know that JFJ is working hard to re open our waiting families list in a thoughtful and sustainable way.
Given the changing demographics of the birth parents JFJ serves and the high number of families pursuing adoption in Ontario, JFJ will be asking families to complete a brief ‘Pre-Assessment Screening Form’ which will allow us to determine on a case by case basis a family’s eligibility to formally register with JFJ.
There is no cost to complete this form.
Current priority will be given to families of diverse racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds in order to best meet the needs of birth families. In our experience, applicants above the age of 45, families with several children already or biological children are rarely successfully matched.
Families who do not have current documents are NOT considered ‘Adopt Ready’ and therefore you automatically would not be invited to take next steps with JFJ. Please ensure all your documentation is current before submitting a Pre-Assessment Screening Form. Please submit your completed form to adoption@jfjhopecentre.ca
Note: if you are using Microsoft Edge or Firefox, right click the ‘Pre-Assessment Screening Form’ link above and save PDF. Please use Adobe Reader to complete form.
Document Reminders:
- Police Checks – valid for 1 year
- Child Welfare Checks – valid for 1 year
- Medicals – valid for 2 years
- References – valid for 2 years
- Home study – an ‘Update’ is needed after 2 years
*JFJ strongly advises families to work on renewing their documents at least 8 weeks in advance of expiry to ensure they have new ones in hand before their previous ones expire.