2024–2025 Services delivered: AdoptOntario
Component: provincial initiatives
Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA)
Service objectives
To increase the number of children in extended society care adopted through the matching of children and youth available for adoption with Ontarians seeking to build their families, and encouraging collaboration and the sharing of resources between adoption professionals (i.e., public and private).
Service description
AdoptOntario is a bilingual website consisting of two parts
- a public information site, which includes a Waiting Children Photo listing; and
- a professional site, which includes the Adoption Resource Databank (“the databank”)
The public-facing site provides general information and education for families interested in adoption and allows registered users to securely view photo listings of children who are available for adoption. Information about Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) training opportunities is also provided on the website.
The professional site allows both society adoption workers and private adoption practitioners the opportunity to search a databank of families and to use a sophisticated matching tool designed to match family strengths and competencies to the needs of children waiting for The site also includes a news bulletin and resources for professionals, as well as a message board for the exchange of information between public and private adoption professionals.
AdoptOntario expands the range of adoption options for families and increases the possibility of finding a match for prospective adoptive parents seeking to build their families through adoption as the website allows for ongoing searches and easier matching of children with prospective adoptive parents who are registered on the AdoptOntario Resources Databank across regional and children’s aid society (society) boundaries.
AdoptOntario staff (i.e., Clinical Coordinators) work with adoption practitioners to find the best possible match for families and with options for getting the word out about the specific child that is being sought by a family for adoption if a match has not been found within a reasonable amount of time.
Program/service features
The services are directed at children in extended society care under the CYFSA available for adoption and prospective adoptive parents seeking to build their families through adoption.
The program will
- support permanence and adoption for Ontario’s children
- promote more timely adoption placements for Ontario's children where adoption is in their best interest
- support adoptive placements of children with special needs
- provide an efficient, effective system for matching prospective adoptive families with children available for adoption in the province
- provide a place for all society adoption workers and private adoption practitioners to exchange information and resources to assist them in their work
- provide a forum to increase public awareness and understanding about all aspects of adoption to society adoption workers/private adoption practitioners and members of the public; and
- encourage co-operation and collaboration between societies and private adoption practitioners in finding adoption placements for children
The program/services contracted by the ministry will reflect the following features.
Program goals
- increase the number of children in extended society care matched with prospective adoptive families for adoption
- improve awareness and knowledge about adoption related matters (g., understanding special needs) by families, society adoption workers and private adoption practitioners
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
- operate, maintain and promote the enhanced AdoptOntario as a vehicle for matching children and prospective adoptive parents
- match children in extended society care available for adoption with prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt
- Support adoptive placements of children with special needs, including providing educational information to support families in understanding the parenting of children with specific special needs
- provide support to society adoption workers and private adoption practitioners to match children in extended society care to prospective adoptive parents, including working with society adoption workers to identify child specific recruitment options equitably across the four regional zones. This includes
- Child and youth profile events: At least 3 child and youth profile online events focused on one to two children or a sibling group that needs permanency, and their specific Prospective adoptive parents are invited to this event based on the matching criteria for the child/youth and have an opportunity to ask questions directly to the adoption worker. In addition, the Online Platform is available to prospective adoptive parents to view the pictures, videos (if available) and profiles of the child/youth presented, with the ability for families to submit an expression of interest form
- Online adoption events: At least 4 online adoption events, which are designed as an additional targeted recruitment strategy, to highlight five to six older youth, sibling groups, or children and youth of specific racial and cultural backgrounds who are available for adoption. Prospective adoptive parents will have the opportunity to connect directly with the society workers who are presenting the children and youth. In addition, the Online Platform will be available for prospective adoptive parents to view the pictures, videos (if available) and profiles of the children and youth presented, with the ability for families to submit an expression of interest form
- Family profile events: At least two family profile events through a webinar presented to adoption workers across the province to profile one to two Adopt Ready families who are specifically open to the needs of the children and youth requiring adoption and These presentations highlight who the parent(s) are, their journey, attributes, resources, openness and more. The adoption workers/practitioners are invited to participate and share information about the families presented
- assist society adoption workers to use the databank including through training
- provide service to francophones and translation of information on the public website to French
- use the AdoptOntario website, including the Online Platform, to provide support to regional and provincial Adoption Resource Exchange (ARE) events/conferences by managing online registration of adopt-ready families and other processes (e.g., preparation and presentation of child profiles and videos) to improve the experience of families and increase the number of children in extended society care adopted through ARE events/conferences
- conduct comprehensive and expansive outreach and education programs for adoption workers/practitioners (e.g., online webinars for professional users) and prospective adoptive parents (e.g., webinars, e-newsletters and individual support from clinical coordinators) on the usage of AdoptOntario
- advertise to AdoptReady and prospective adoptive parents to help raise public interest in waiting children in Ontario
- respond to e-mails and phone calls from families interested in adopting a child in Ontario and redirecting these families to societies as deemed appropriate to the circumstance; and
- consult with privacy experts to ensure ongoing compliance with privacy standards and identification of privacy implications for online recruitment of adoptive homes for children
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 a detailed report on the project objectives, services, and outcomes for the AdoptOntario.
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 attendees at education seminars and webinars | Total number of attendees to education seminars and webinars. |
| # of child videos uploaded to the databank | Total number of child videos uploaded to the databank. |
| # of children on the databank broken down by status: Children in extended society care without access | Total number of children on the databank by status: Children in extended society care without access. |
| # of children posted by category: medical diagnosis and/or developmental delays | Total number of children posted by type/ age: medical diagnosis and/or developmental delays. |
| # of children previously on databank, now removed, by status: Child. in ext. care without access | Total number of children previously on the databank, but have now been removed, by status: Children in extended society care without access. |
| # of children previously on databank, now removed, by status: Children in ext. society care with access | Total number of children previously on the databank, but have now been removed, by status: Children in extended society care with access. |
| # of children previously on databank, now removed, by status: Unavailable | Total number of children previously on the databank, but have now been removed, by status: Unavailable. |
| # of children removed from databank and reason: Pending closure on the databank for adoption | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Pending closure on the databank for adoption. |
| # of children removed from databank and reason: Placed for adoption with family through another method | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Placed for adoption with a family found through another method such as society outreach to another society, etc. |
| # of children removed from databank and reason: Placed for adoption with family through an ARE event | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Placed for adoption with a family found through an ARE event. |
| # of children removed from databank and reason: society placed child for adoption | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Local society placed child for adoption with one of their adoptive homes (i.e., not with foster parent or kin). |
| # of children removed from databank and reason: Placed for adoption with AdoptOntario family | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Placed for adoption with AdoptOntario family, through databank or expression of interest. |
| # of children on the databank broken down by status: Children in extended society care with access | Total number of children posted by type/ age: children in extended society care with access. |
| # of children on the databank broken down by status: Consent | Total number of children on the databank by status: Consent. |
| # of children on the databank broken down by status: Unavailable | Total number of children on the databank by status: Unavailable. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: 11-14 | Total number of children posted by type/ age: 11-14. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: 15+ | Total number of children posted by type/ age: 15+. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: 3- 5 | Total number of children posted by type/ age: 3-5. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: 6- 10 | Total number of children posted by type/ age: 6-10. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: age of child by age group | Total number of children posted by type/ age: age of child by age group. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: behavioural or environmental issues | Total number of children posted by type/age: behavioural or environmental issues. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: genetic risk factors | Total number of children posted by type/age: genetic risk factors. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: part of a sibling group | Total number of children posted by type/age: part of a sibling group. |
| # of children posted for each of the following categories: racial or cultural minority | Total number of children posted by type/age: racial or cultural minority. |
| # of children posted on the Online AREPlatform for an ARE event | Total number of children posted on the Online ARE Platform for an ARE event. |
| # of children previously on the databank, but have now been removed, broken down by status: Consent | Total number of children previously on the databank, but have now been removed, by status: Consent. |
| # of children removed from the databank and for what reason: No longer pursuing adoption | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: No longer pursuing adoption. |
| # of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Other (specify) or no reason given | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Other (specify) or no reason given. |
| # of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Placed for adoption with foster parent | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Placed for adoption with foster parent. |
| # of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Placed for adoption with kin | Total number of children removed from the databank and for what reason: Placed for adoption with kin. |
| # of families removed from the databank | Total number of families previously registered on the databank who completed a SAFE homestudy and PRIDE training (i.e., AdoptReady) but were removed from the databank in the current fiscal year. |
| # of families registered on databank completed a SAFE and PRIDE training (i.e., AdoptReady families) | Total number of families registered on the databank who have completed a SAFE home study and PRIDE training. |
| # of families who are registered public users who have completed a SAFE homestudy and PRIDE training | Total number of families who are registered public users who have completed a SAFE homestudy and PRIDE training. |
| # of families who completed online profiles through the public site | Total number of families who completed online profiles through the public site. |
| # of formal express. of interest made (after receiving addition. info on child from AdoptOntario) | Total number of formal expressions of interest made to societies. |
| # of matches of private families to society children on the databank | Total number of matches of private families to society children on the databank. |
| # of new professional users | Total number of new professional users. |
| # of online platform responses made to societies (after viewing child online for an ARE event) | Total number of online platform responses made to societies after an ARE. |
| # of professionals who completed online training sessions, broken down by status: Licensee | Total number of professionals who completed online training sessions by status: Licensee. |
| # of professionals who completed online training sessions, broken down by status: Other | Total number of professionals who completed online training sessions by status: Other. |
| # of professionals who completed online training sessions, broken down by status: Society supervisor | Total number of professionals who completed online training sessions by status: Society supervisor. |
| # of professionals who completed online training sessions, by status: Private adoption practitioner | Total number of professionals who completed online training sessions by status: Private adoption practitioner. |
| # of professionals who completed online training sessions, by status: Society adoption worker | Total number of professionals who completed online training sessions by status: Society adoption worker. |
| # of registered public users (current fiscal year) | Total number of registered public users (current fiscal year). |
| # of respon. to child. by regist. public users who make a prelim response to a child's profile | Total number of responses to children by registered public users who make a preliminary response to a child's profile (on the Waiting Children section of the site). |
| # of responses to child profiles on Gabby (private adoption site) | Total number of responses to child profiles on Gabby (private adoption site). |
| # of unique views of Kids Korner | Total number of unique views of Kids Korner. |
| # of views of child profiles on the online ARE platform | Total number of views of child profiles on the Online ARE Platform. |
| # of views of child profiles on waiting children photolisting (public site) | Total number of views of child profiles on Waiting Children photolisting (public site). |
| # of views of child videos on the online ARE platform | Total number of views of child videos on the Online ARE Platform. |
| # of views of child videos on Waiting Children photolisting (public site) | Total number of views of child videos on Waiting Children photolisting (public site). |
| # of visitors www.adoptontario.ca (current fiscal) | Total number of visitors to www.adoptontario.ca (current fiscal year). |
| Amount of time child profiles are posted on databank and/or website prior to being removed: Months | Amount of time children’s profiles are posted on the databank and/or website prior to being removed for adoption placement: Months. |
| Average Number of pages visited per visitor www.adoptontario.ca (current fiscal) | Average number of pages visited per visitor www.adoptontario.ca (current fiscal year). |
| Average Number of visitors to the public site per day (current fiscal) | Average number of visitors to the public site per day (current fiscal year). |
| Of the Number of families registered who completed SAFE Homestudy and PRIDE, numbers new register. on the databank (i.e., new AdoptReady families) | Total number of newly registered families on the databank who have completed a SAFE homestudy and PRIDE training. |
| Of the total Number of child. on databank, Number of new child cases created by status: in ext. care w/access | Of the total number of children on the databank, the number of new child cases created on the databank, by status: Children in extended society care with access. |
| Of the total Number of child. on databank, number of new child cases created by status: in ext.care w/o access | Of the total number of children on the databank, the number of new child cases created on the databank, by status: Children in extended society care without access. |
| Of the total Number of child. on databank, Number of new child cases created by status: Unavailable | Of the total number of children on the databank, the number of new child cases created on the databank, by status: Unavailable. |
| Of the total Number of child. on the databank, the Number of new child cases created by status: Consent | Of the total number of children on the databank, the number of new child cases created on the databank, by status: Consent. |
| Of the total Number of families, the total numbers that are: pending registration on the databank | Total number of families who are registered public users who have completed a SAFE homestudy and PRIDE training by type: pending registration on the databank. |
| Of the total Number of families, the total #that are: newly registered public users (cumulative last report) | Total number of families who are registered public users who have completed a SAFE homestudy and PRIDE training by type: newly registered public users (cumulative change since last report). |
| Of the total Number of registered users, the Number of users that are newly registered (cumulative since last report) | Total number of users that are newly registered (cumulative change since last report). |
| # of children and youth registered/presented at child and youth profile events (current fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth registered/presented at child and youth profile events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth registered/presented at Online Adoption events (current fiscal year | The total number of children and youth registered/presented at online adoption events in current fiscal year. |
| # of families registered/presented at Family Profile Events (current fiscal year) | The total number of families registered/presented at Family Profile events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of child and youth profile events (current fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of child and youth profile events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Online Adoption events (current fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Online Adoption events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Family Profile events (current fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Family profile events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of a child and youth profile events (last fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of child and youth profile events in last fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Online Adoption events (last fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Online Adoption events in last fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Family Profile events (last fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth awaiting placement as a result of Family profile events in last fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of child and youth profile events (current fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of child and youth profile events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Online Adoption events (current fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Online Adoption events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Family Profile events (current fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Family profiles events in current fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of child and youth profile events (last fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of child and youth profile events in the last fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Online Adoption events (last fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Online Adoption events in the last fiscal year. |
| # of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Family Profile events (last fiscal year) | The total number of children and youth placed for adoption as a result of Family profiles events in the last fiscal year. |
| Website hits broken down by page: Adopting through AdoptOntario | Total number of website hits by webpage: Adopting through AdoptOntario. |
| Website hits broken down by page: ARE online platform | Total number of website hits by webpage: ARE online platform. |
| Website hits broken down by page: Events | Total number of website hits by webpage: Events. |
| Website hits broken down by page: Online ARE events | Total number of website hits by webpage: Online ARE events events. |
| Website hits broken down by page: Other page views | Total number of website hits by webpage: Other page views. |
| Website hits broken down by page: Photolisting | Total number of website hits by webpage: Photolisting. |
| Website hits broken down by page: PRIDE training schedule | Total number of website hits by webpage: PRIDE training schedule. |
| Website hits broken down by page: Understandings special needs | Total number of website hits by webpage: Understanding special needs. |
| AdoptOntario: 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). |
Updated: June 27, 2024
Published: May 30, 2024