November is Adoption Awareness Month

November is National Adoption Awareness Month, reminding everyone that each child has a need and a right to be part of a family.

"This is an opportunity to recognize all those adoptive families in Nova Scotia who have opened their hearts to children in need of families," said Community Services Minister Peter Christie. "The support and security of a permanent home are very important."

In 2000-01 there were 94 court-approved adoptions in Nova Scotia. Many more children are waiting for permanent adoptive homes.

This year, the theme of Adoption Awareness Month is Special Needs Adoption. The majority of children needing families today have special placement needs such as: an older age, physical or emotional challenges, placement in a home with the same racial background, the placement of brothers and sisters together, or children who may have been abused or neglected.

Most children with special needs are more than two years old and have developed relationships with other people. In some situations, continued contact is very important to them. Subsidies are available to assist families to ensure that the child's needs are met.

Adoptions today can be more complex than they used to be. They require proper preparation in matching a child with a family most able to provide a loving, secure home. It is rare that newborn babies are available for adoption in Nova Scotia.

"Assistance is available for anyone considering becoming an adoptive parent," said Susan Drysdale, manager of Adoption and Children in Care for Community Services. "Adoption agencies can tell you what's involved and can help you through the adoption home-study process. This process explores whether or not adoption is the best parenting option for indoviduals."

To adopt a child in this province, you must be an adult, a resident of Nova Scotia and a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant. Anyone wishing to adopt can start by contacting the local Children's Aid Society, Family and Children's Services agency, any district office of the Department of Community Services, or the Home of the Guardian Angel -- Halifax/Dartmouth.

In addition, the Community Services Web site, www.gov.ns.ca/coms, provides addresses, telephone numbers and more information about adoption, including private relative adoption and international adoption.