There are lots of ways to have children in your life. One way is through adoption. November is National Adoption Month. There are three main ways couples find children to adopt:

1. Adopt a foster child. These children are often over the age of 4 and have special social or medical needs. These children are referred to as “waiting children,” a term which breaks my heart to even type. The BC Ministry of Children and Family Development has information on these children on their website.

2. Adopt a local infant. The BC local infant adoption program helps couples who decide while pregnant or soon after, that they are unable to care for their child and wish to place the children for adoption. To enter this program you must use an adoption agency licensed in BC, of which there are four.

3. International adoption. Countries like China, Korea, Vietnam, and others allow Canadians who meet certain criteria to adopt children. Like local infant adoptions, these adoptions are arranged by one of the four licensed BC adoption agencies.

A good place to start if you are considering adoption is the Adoptive Families Association of BC website.