Component: provincial initiatives

Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA)

Service objectives

To provide adoptive parents who have adopted a child through a children’s aid society (“society”) with the connections and support they need to allow them to have opportunities to share with, and learn from, other adoptive families who are facing similar challenges presented by their adopted children.

Service description

Program staff (i.e., Parent Liaisons) provide individual and integrated support to adoptive families to find, navigate and access supports needed to better meet their children’s needs. This includes providing adoptive parents with information; advocating on their behalf and supporting adoptive parents to advocate for themselves when engaging services in other service sectors (e.g., education, mental health); establishing and supporting adoptive parents to establish parent support groups in their communities; and connecting adoptive families with other adoptive families who have similar experiences to help them learn from each other.

The Parent2Parent Support Network includes the provision of information and resources through Community Engagement Liaisons; Regional Parent Liaisons to help create and enhance existing local adoptive parent peer support groups and provide individualized integrated system navigation and advocacy support; a database which includes a directory of local resources (e.g., mental health providers, counselors with adoption and trauma expertise) that may be accessed by adoptive parents through their parent liaison; and a buddy and mentor program to help adoptive parents connect with, and learn from, each other.

Program/service features

The services are directed at persons who adopt children through children’s aid societies.

The transfer payment recipient will

  • Continue supporting parent peer support groups
  • Increase the number of post-adoption parent support groups across the province, where possible
  • Increase the number of adoptive parents accessing post-adoption supports to meet the needs of their children
  • Provide a supportive environment for adoptive parents to acquire knowledge, share information, learn about and access resources to assist them in caring for their children
  • Increase knowledge about available post-adoption parent peer supports for adoptive parents among societies and professionals in other sectors (e.g., mental health professionals)
  • Increase awareness about post-adoption supports available to adoptive parents (e.g., through advertising, engaging societies and adoptive parents, and through adoption exchange events (AREs)

The program/services contracted by the ministry will reflect the following features.

Program goals

  • Provide parents who adopt through children’s aid societies with opportunities to access post-adoption services and supports to meet the needs of their children
  • Adoptive parents have increased awareness and knowledge about post-adoption supports (e.g., mental health) needed and available to them

Services will be

  • Reflective and responsive to child/youth, family and community strengths and needs
  • Accountable to the child/youth, family and community
  • Sensitive to the social, linguistic and cultural diversity of families and Indigenous communities
  • Staffed by individuals with the appropriate range of skills and abilities necessary to effectively develop and deliver training to meet the needs of children, youth and families

Ministry expectations

The transfer payment recipient must

  • Manage, deliver and promote the Parent2Parent Support Network as a vehicle for mentoring, providing guidance, sharing information and connecting children and adoptive families to post-adoption peer support groups and other community resources (e.g., mental health professionals with training and expertise in helping adoptive families)
  • Deliver the program across the province in areas where adoptive parents require post-adoption supports
  • Provide support to adoptive parents who have adopted a child through a society to establish and sustain peer support group programs in their communities, including providing training to group leads and supporting/hosting monthly parent support meetings, as needed
  • Provide continued mentorship to prospective adoptive parents, including those seeking to adopt children with special needs, throughout the adoption transition period (i.e., from the time they are matched until adoption finalization) by connecting them with experienced adoptive families through the Mentor Program
  • Through the Mentor Program, new adoptive families will be able to communicate with, and be mentored by more experienced adoptive families. The mentor family will help the new adoptive parent navigate through the transition period until the adoption is finalized (i.e., help new adoptive parents to better understand their children’s needs, engage/work with schools, and help adoptive parents and children to form stronger attachment)
  • Provide continued peer support to adoptive parents beyond the adoption transition period by pairing them with other families who have similar needs through the Buddy Program
  • Through the Buddy Program, adoptive families will be paired with other adoptive families based on similar adoption experiences. For example, families who are raising children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) or Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), or families raising transracially adopted children or sibling groups will be paired with similar families. Pairing like families helps normalize the adoption experience and empowers families to help themselves as they help each other. Buddy matching will foster knowledge exchange between families about supports, services, therapies and parenting strategies, and provide encouragement as families gain firsthand knowledge of other families who have successfully navigated the challenges they and their children face
  • Provide information on post-adoption supports and resources to prospective adoptive parents and adoptive parents, society adoption workers and private practitioners (e.g., training, local mental health practitioners who have experience working with adoptive families)
  • Provide information and support to adoptive parents in advocating for their children’s unique needs (e.g., with schools, societies, community service providers, mental and medical health professionals)
  • Conduct marketing and recruitment campaigns (e.g., through flyers, media campaigns, engagement of societies and families) targeted to societies, prospective adoptive parents and adoptive families who adopted through societies to help raise awareness about supports available to prospective and adoptive parents in Ontario (i.e., from the point of adoption placement)
  • Maintain a database to track, report and manage services provided to adoptive parents
  • Respond to e-mails and phone calls from adoptive families and directing these families to parent peer support groups and/or community resources and professionals based on their needs, as appropriate
  • Provide information to prospective adoptive parents at provincial and regional ARE Resource Villages about post adoption supports available through the Parent2Parent Support Network

Reporting requirements

  • The transfer payment recipient is expected to monitor and evaluate program performance and to confirm that program objectives and deliverables are being met
  • At each reporting period, provide an interim report on the project objectives, services and outcomes
  • On an annual basis, provide a report which details program activities conducted by the transfer payment recipient in support of the initiative, including objectives, services and outcomes. The transfer payment recipient will monitor and evaluate training to confirm that program goals and service objectives are being met
  • The following service data will be reported on at an Interim and Final stage. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates and targets
Service Data Name Definition

# of adoptive families refer. to post-adoption training programs: Pathways to Permanence 2 training

Total number of adoptive families referred to post-adoption training programs: Pathways to Permanence 2 training: Number of sessions.

# of adoptive families refer. to profess. and partner orgs., for therapies /supports and services

Total number of adoptive families referred to professionals and partner organizations, for therapies and other supports and services.

# of adoptive families provided advocacy and one-on-one support

Total number of adoptive families provided advocacy and one-on-one support.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Behavioural issues

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Behavioural issues.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Birth history

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Birth history (i.e., Genetic) risk factors.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Med diagnosis and/or develop. delays

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Medical diagnosis and/or developmental delays.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Older child – 10-14 years of age

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Older child – 10-14 years of age.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Older child – 15-18 years of age

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Older child – 15-18 years of age.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Older child – 19-21 years of age

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Older child – 19-21 years of age.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Older child – 3-5 years of age

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Older child – 3-5 years of age.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Older child – 6-9 years of age

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Older child – 6-9 years of age.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Older child – age 21 and older

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Older child – age 21 and older.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Part of a sibling group

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Part of a sibling group.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Post adoption depression

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Post adoption depression.

# of child. in adoptive families regist. on database categories: Racial or cultural identity

Total number of children in adoptive families registered by type of children: Racial or cultural identity.

# of adoptive families referred to post-adoption training programs: Other (specify)

Total number of adoptive families referred to post-adoption training programs: Other (specify).

# of adoptive parents interested in establishing a parent support group

Total number of adoptive parents interested in establishing a parent support group.

# of enquiries about parent supports by type: A4L Website

Total number of enquiries about parent supports by type: A4L website.

# of enquiries about parent supports by type: Facebook Page

Total number of enquiries about parent supports by type: Facebook page.

# of enquiries about parent supports by type: Facebook Private Groups

Total number of enquiries about parent supports by type: Facebook Private Groups.

# of enquiries about parent supports by type: In-person

Total number of enquiries about parent supports by type: In-person.

# of enquiries about parent supports by type: Phone

Total number of enquiries about parent supports by type: Phone.

# of information/awareness sessions with professionals and community service providers

Total number of information/awareness sessions with professionals and community service providers.

# of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: Central

Total number of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: Central.

# of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: East

Total number of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: East.

# of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: North

Total number of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: North.

# of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: Toronto

Total number of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: Toronto.

# of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: West

Total number of information/awareness sessions with societies by MCCSS region: West.

# of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: Central

Total number of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: Central.

# of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: East

Total number of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: East.

# of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: North

Total number of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: North.

# of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: Toronto

Total number of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: Toronto.

# of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: West

Total number of parent support group meetings facilitated by MCCSS region: West.

Of the total Number of newly regist. adoptive parents, numbers refer. by: Children's Mental Health Professional

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: Children's Mental Health Professional.

Of the total Number of newly regist. adoptive parents, the numbers refer. by: Medical/Family Doctor

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: Medical/Family Doctor.

Of the total Number of newly regist. adoptive parents, the numbers referred by: Self-referral

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: Self-referral - A4L Website or Facebook Page or other.

Of the total Number of parent support groups by A4L Regional Parent Liaison, the numbers by East

Total number of parent support groups established by A4L Regional Parent Liaison by MCCSS region: East.

Of the total Number of parent support groups by A4L Regional Parent Liaison, the numbers by Central

Total number of parent support groups established by A4L Regional Parent Liaison by MCCSS region: Central.

Of the total Number of parent support groups by A4L Regional Parent Liaison, the numbers by North

Total number of parent support groups established by A4L Regional Parent Liaison by MCCSS region: North.

Of the total Number of parent support groups by A4L Regional Parent Liaison, the numbers by Toronto

Total number of parent support groups established by A4L Regional Parent Liaison by MCCSS region: Toronto.

Of the total Number of parent support groups by A4L Regional Parent Liaison, the numbers by West

Total number of parent support groups established by A4L Regional Parent Liaison by MCCSS region: West.

Of the total Number of parent support groups est. by adoptive parents, with A4L support, the numbers by Central

Total number of parent support groups established with A4L by MCCSS region: Central.

Of the total Number of parent support groups est. by adoptive parents, with A4L support, the numbers by East

Total number of parent support groups established with A4L by MCCSS region: East.

Of the total Number of parent support groups est. by adoptive parents, with A4L support, the numbers by North

Total number of parent support groups established with A4L by MCCSS region: North.

Of the total Number of parent support groups est. by adoptive parents, with A4L support, the numbers by Toronto

Total number of parent support groups established with A4L by MCCSS region: Toronto.

Of the total Number of parent support groups est. by adoptive parents, with A4L support, the numbers by West

Total number of parent support groups established with A4L by MCCSS region: West.

Of the total Number of newly regist. adoptive parents, the #referby: Another Adoptive Parent/Family

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: Another Adoptive Parent/Family.

Of the total number of newly registered adoptive parents, the numbers referred by: Children’s Aid Society

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: Children’s Aid Society.

Of the total number of newly registered adoptive parents, the number referred by: ACO Staff

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: ACO Staff.

Of the total number of newly registered adoptive parents, the number referred by: Adopt4Life staff

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: Adopt4Life staff.

Of the total number of newly registered adoptive parents, the number referred by: Family Member

Total number of newly registered adoptive parents by referral source: Family Member.

The number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: Central

The total number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: Central.

The number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: East

The total number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: East.

The number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: North

The total number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: North.

The number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: Toronto

The total number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: Toronto.

The number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: West

The total number of participants at each parent support group meeting held by MCCSS region: West.

Total number of adoptive parents matched with an adoptive parent buddy

Total number of adoptive parents matched with an adoptive parent buddy.

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: Central

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: Central.

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: East

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: East.

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: North

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: North.

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: Toronto

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: Toronto.

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: West

Total number of new adoptive families registered by MCCSS region: West.

Total number of new adoptive parents matched with an adoptive parent mentor

Total number of new adoptive parents matched with an adoptive parent mentor.

Parent2Parent Support Network: Ministry-funded agency expenditures

Total ministry-funded expenses for the transfer payment recipient to administer and/or deliver this service in the reporting year (cumulative).