Children and youth come into the care of the Department of Social Development through no fault of their own, most often because they have experienced or are at risk of neglect or abuse, or their families are temporarily unable to safely meet their needs due to a crisis. The reason is always rooted in the need to ensure the child’s safety, stability, and well-being.

Children primarily come into care when:

• A parent is unable to provide a safe home for the child.

• A parent is unable to provide the specific type of care the child needs.

• A parent dies without naming a legal guardian.

• A parent decides that adoption is the most permanent and loving option for their child.

All children in care have experienced significant loss and trauma. Many will return to their birth families (reunification); others are supported through kinship care, permanent caregiving arrangements, or adoption.

Seeking Permanent Families

When a child cannot safely return home, the focus shifts to finding a permanent, secure, and loving family for them.

Children transition to needing an adoptive family through a few paths:

• Some birth parents choose to make an adoption plan for their child.

• Other children come into the care of the Department by court order when it is determined they cannot return home.

Every effort is made to find an adoptive family who best meets the specific, long-term needs of a child. It is always about finding families for children who need them, ensuring the child's welfare comes first.

Who Are the Children Waiting for Adoption?

The children waiting for adoption are often between 3 and 12 years old, and some are part of a sibling group who need to stay together. Many of these children are waiting because they have special service and/or placement needs due to their background, which may include:

• Difficulties attaching to a new family.

• Developmental delays or behavioral issues from past abuse or neglect.

• Exposure to drugs or alcohol in utero.

All children deserve a permanent, secure, and loving home. Though parenting a child who has experienced trauma can be difficult, it is also incredibly satisfying and rewarding. Families are needed so these children will not have to wait for their permanent home.

Learn More

For more detailed information on the legal framework and processes followed by the Department of Social Development

• Child and Youth Protection Program (GNB)
  Details the process of investigating concerns and working with families to ensure child safety.

• Fostering a Child or Youth (GNB)
  Explains the role of foster parents and the application process for providing a temporary home.

• Child and Youth Well-being Act (NB Legislation)
  The full provincial law that grants the authority for protection services and outlines the rights of children in care.

• Adopting one of New Brunswick's Children (NBAF)

• Adopting a Child or Youth (GNB)
  Explains the role of adoptive parents and the application process for providing a permanent home.

• Online application form

The term “special needs” refers to children who may have special placements needs and could qualify for adoption assistance. Special placement needs are unique factors that are considered during the matching process. They relate to the child's experiences and the special skill-set required of the parents. Most children adopted from the province have special placement needs due to their experience before and during foster care. 

These special needs include conditions such as: 

• Being an older child

• Having a particular racial or ethnic background

• Being part of a sibling group needing to be placed together as one unit

• Medical conditions

• Physical disabilities

• Mental, intellectual, and developmental or emotional disabilities

A child with special needs should not be confused with a child who requires special education. 

Yes. Your PRIDE training and SAFE home assessment will help you identify needs you can meet. If a proposal isn’t the right fit, it’s okay to decline—your approval status isn’t affected. 

Be honest about the needs you are open to, but don't over-extend yourself to adopt a child with needs that you may not be able to manage or that are not a good match for your skills or current family needs.

Your application package will include a Reference Guide, which provides you with basic background information to help you make an informed decision about the type of child you might be interested in adopting. The Registration Form is the first step of the adoption application process with the Department of Social Development. It gives you an opportunity to identify the background factors and special needs of the child or children you wish to adopt, and it helps the Department determine when to begin an adoption home study based on the information provided in the registration form. 

Our Coordinators are here and available to help you complete these forms and answer questions you may have while completing them.

Yes. If you don't feel a child is a good fit, it's ok to say no. there will be another family for the child and another opportunity for your family. If you have any concerns about a proposal, talk to your social worker, a support person, to help process your through and/or feelings on the possible match.

How Do I Start the Adoption Process?

The quickest and easiest way to begin the adoption process is by applying online through the Foster & Adoption Online Portal. You can also start by phone or by mail.

1. Apply Online (Recommended)

• Access the Online Application: Access the application form directly at: https://ccnb-scnb.gnb.ca/dtfaportal/s/?language=en_US

• Complete Screening: You'll first answer a series of questions (takes approximately 5–10 minutes) to help you decide if adoption is a good fit.

• Create Account: If you meet the initial criteria, you will be prompted to create an account or log in to the Portal.

• Complete Application: Once logged in, you will be asked to provide more detailed information about yourself and any other adults living in your household, and upload supporting documents.

2. Apply By Mail or Phone
If you prefer to apply by mail or speak directly with a Social Worker:

• By Mail: Send your completed application form and supporting documents to:
  Adoption
  551 King St.
  Sartain MacDonald Building
  PO Box 6000
  Fredericton, NB
  E3B 1E7
  
  

• By Phone: Call 1-833-SDDSTel (1-833-733-7835) 

  • between 8:15 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday. 

  • Press 1 for English (or 2 for French), 

  • then option 3, and 

  • select your geographical zone to connect with an adoption Social Worker. 

  • Evenings or weekends, you can call 211.

Need help with your application?

Additional information about adoption can be found at:  Social Supports NB | Adopting a Child

If you have questions about your application, you can also contact Social Development by phone at 1-506-259-0232 or email socialsupportsnb@gnb.ca

The NB Adoption Support Network coordinators are also available to help guide you and answer questions throughout this process. Feel Free to reach out via email,  Facebook, or phone.  We are here to help.

The adoption of infants under the age of two who are in the care of the Minister.

As many single parents now raise their own children, there are few infants available for adoption either through the Ministries or privately. In New Brunswick, there is a waiting list to adopt infants through the Minister. Families can expect to wait a number of years before they will be considered. The wait time can vary, but typically the wait for an infant Ministerial adoption in New Brunswick is approximately eight years and the numbers of families wishing to adopt healthy infants (0-2 years) outnumber the infants available for adoption through the Minister.

In order to provide an equitable process, all infants placed for Ministerial adoption in New Brunswick are placed through the Infant Adoption Exchange. Applicants must register with their local regional office of Social Development in order to adopt an infant through the Minister.

For infants who are determined to have special needs or are members of a sibling group please refer to the Standards for Older, Special Needs Children and Sibling Groups.

When applying to adopt an infant:

• A social worker will record the applicants’ name, address, telephone number, and date of inquiry 

• An Adoption Information Registration Package is then sent to the applicant.

• The applicant must complete the Registration Form and return it to the appropriate Regional office

• A letter confirming receipt or the application form, informing the applicants that they will be registered on the Adoptive Applicant Registry and informing them of their initial contact/registration date will be sent out.

• The remaining component of the assessment will not be initiated until the Adoptive Applicant Registry is sufficiently depleted.  This will take a number of years.

Adoption Placement

Once pre-placement visits (if any) are complete, a child or youth may be placed in your home for the purpose of adoption. Before this happens, the Department reviews the child’s history and plan to ensure that all placement options have been carefully considered.

Your adoption social worker will share important information about the child or youth’s background, needs, and supports to help you prepare for their transition into your family. Siblings are placed together whenever possible, as maintaining family connections is a priority.

After placement, your adoption social worker will stay closely involved—checking in regularly, offering guidance, and helping with any challenges or adjustments that may arise. Home visits continue until the adoption order is granted to ensure that everyone is adjusting well and that the child or youth’s needs are being met.

Post-Placement and Finalization

During the post-placement period, your adoption social worker will provide ongoing support to you and your family. This includes home visits, progress updates, and connecting you to services if needed.

When the Department and the Court are satisfied that the placement is in the best interests of the child or youth, that the family is ready, and all legal and procedural steps have been completed, an application for an adoption order is made.

In most cases, adoptions are finalized once the child or youth has lived continuously in the home for several months (minimum  6 months) and everyone involved feels confident about the match.

The adoption order is the legal step that makes your child a permanent member of your family. After this, your family becomes fully responsible for the child’s care, and their legal status changes to reflect you as their parents.

If there are any legal costs associated with the process, speak with your adoption social worker—some assistance may be available to help offset these expenses.

Learn more: 

• Adopting one of New Brunswick's Children (NBAF)

• Adopting a Child or Youth (GNB)

All approved adopting applicants must have their home assessment updated once a year if a child has not been placed in the home.

This may include:

• A new criminal record check

• New medical forms

• Updated references

• Any other documents deemed necessary (i.e. financial form)

• A home visit

• A review of your financial situation, any changes in marital or family situation, and any major losses

You can only adopt more than one child at a time if the children are siblings. Otherwise, you must wait until your first adoption has been completed until you can initiate the adoption process for a second time.

All children placed for adoption by the Department of Family and Community Services must be placed with an approved adoptive family.

Once a child has been identified as needing an adoptive placement, a  consultation between the child/rens Child-in-Care Social Worker and the Adoption Social Worker is held where the child/rens Child-in-Care Social Worker must identify the needs of the child, including:

• Language

• Religion or cultural issues

• Learning challenges

• Behavioral difficulties

• Placement requirements (inside/outside of the region)

• Number of siblings to be in the home (if necessary)

• Relevant medical information

• Family history

The child/rens Social Worker prepares the child’s profile, gathers pictures of the child and give the child’s dossier to the Adoption Social Worker to assist in the process of finding an adoptive home for the child.

The Adoption Social Worker will identify any possible adoptive applicants that may be a possible match, obtain the adoption assessments of those possible matches and share them with the child/rens Social Worker.

If a potential match is found, the Social Workers will meet to discuss and decide on the suitability of the proposed match.

If they decides that the proposed match is suitable, the Adoption Social Worker makes contact with the prospective adoptive family in order to share information on the proposed child.  

If the prospective adoptive family is interested in learning more about the proposed child, a meeting is scheduled with the appropriate member of the team to share further confidential information.

Prospective adoptive families will be given a minimum 24 hours  to consider the information that they have been presented with. 

After careful consideration, the adoptive family is to inform the Adoption Social Worker of their decision.  If the family accepts the child the Adoption Social Worker works with the prospective adoptive family to prepare them for their initial meeting with the child and eventual placement.  

Should a family decide not to move forward with the placement, the Adoption Social Worker will retrieve any documents given to the family pertaining to the child and continue to search for a prospective adoptive home.

It's important to note that this does not affect the family's  status as an approved adoptive family.

Yes, during the Home Assessment process you will have the opportunity to explore what type of child would be the 'best match' for you and your family.

The mandatory training program for prospective foster and adoptive parents in New Brunswick is PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education).

This is a competency-based program (nine sessions) that is conducted virtually. It is designed to prepare you for the unique experience of parenting a child who has experienced loss and trauma.

What PRIDE Covers

The training helps families understand how trauma impacts a child’s growth and development and what will be expected of them as part of the professional team supporting the child. Each session is co-led by an adoption professional and an experienced foster or adoptive parent.

The curriculum is built on five core competencies, providing families with the necessary skills to support children from difficult backgrounds:

• Nurturing and Safety: You will learn how to help a child feel safe and nurtured.

• Addressing Delays: You will understand how to best meet a child’s needs and help them overcome developmental delays.

• Building Connections: You will learn how to help children maintain relationships with their birth family when appropriate, and build other connections that will sustain them throughout life.

• Teamwork: You will gain an understanding of how to be an active, effective member of the professional team supporting the child and family.

For full details on the curriculum, philosophy, and learning objectives, please consult the official document:

• PRIDE Training Program (PDF)

The SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) Home Assessment is a crucial and mandatory step in the adoption and foster care approval process in New Brunswick. It is the standardized home study methodology used by the province.

The SAFE assessment usually begins after you have completed your mandatory PRIDE training.

Purpose and Process

The SAFE assessment is a comprehensive methodology designed to describe and evaluate prospective adoptive and foster families. It serves two main purposes: to assess your skills as a potential parent, and to act as an educational tool to prepare you for the responsibilities of parenting a child who has experienced trauma.

An adoption Social Worker will work with you over a number of weeks to complete the assessment. The process typically involves:

• Interviews and Meetings: A series of meetings with a Social Worker to provide in-depth information about adoption, including preparing you to meet the specialized needs of an adopted child or sibling group.

• Documentation and References: The Social Worker will gather required documents, including financial statements, medical reports, criminal and vulnerable sector checks, child abuse clearances, and personal character references.

• Home Visit: The Social Worker will complete at least one visit to your home to assess its physical safety, health, and capacity to provide a secure and healthy environment for children.

• Assessment: Ultimately, the process assesses your family's safety, strengths, and readiness to provide permanent, loving care.

Learn more

• How to Prepare for Your Home Assessment (Waiting to Belong)

• The Adoption Journey: Part 3 – Safe Home Assessment

Open adoption is an adoption where contact, communication, or information-sharing is maintained between the child and significant people from their past (such as birth parents, siblings, or former caregivers). It is the opposite of a "closed adoption" where all identifying information is sealed.

The primary goal of openness is always to serve the best interests of the child.

How Does Openness Work?

Openness is highly flexible, and the level of contact can range widely, often changing as the child grows and their needs evolve:

• Indirect Contact: Exchanging non-identifying or identifying information, letters, cards, photos, or updates, often mediated through the Department of Social Development.

• Direct Contact: Face-to-face visits, video calls, or direct communication between the birth family and the adoptive family.

In New Brunswick, the degree of openness is thoroughly explored early in the adoption process and is determined by assessing what is in the child’s best interest and what is acceptable to both the adoptive and birth families.

Impact on the Child

Research strongly supports that openness is beneficial for the child, especially when managed with sensitivity and flexibility.

Benefits

Stronger Identity
It helps the child develop an accurate and positive sense of identity and self-worth by removing the mystery around their origins. They gain first-hand knowledge of who they look like, their history, and where their interests came from.

Reduced Loss and Trauma
Openness minimizes the child's feeling of rejection and loss, enabling them to better understand the circumstances that led to their adoption. This facilitates healing and reduces feelings of abandonment.

Medical History
It provides the child with continued access to updated medical and genetic information as they grow.

Attachment and Security
Knowing the birth family is real and is cared about by the adoptive family often leads to better overall adjustment and stronger attachment security with the adoptive family.

Legal Requirements in New Brunswick

Under New Brunswick’s Child and Youth Well-being Act (2022) and the associated Adoption Regulation, the legal framework supports openness when it is necessary for the child's welfare:

• Best Interests Standard: All decisions regarding openness are governed by the principle that the child’s interests are paramount.

• Openness Order: A court may issue an openness order at the time of adoption finalization. This order is a legal tool used to maintain a relationship between the child and a specific person (like a birth family member) if the court determines that continued contact is vital to the child's well-being and development.

• Not the Same as Access: It's important to understand that an openness order is for communication and connection; it is generally not the same as a formal parenting time or access order. The focus is on preserving relationships, not undermining the permanence of the adoption.
  
  

In essence, open adoption prioritizes the child's need to know and understand their full life story, transforming the family unit into an extended adoptive kinship network.

Sometimes it’s possible for various reasons (geography, the birth family are not healthy or have passed away), but maintaining a connection between the child and their birth family has been shown to be extremely beneficial to the child.

International adoption, also known as Inter-country Adoption, is a journey that requires significant dedication, preparation, and compliance with the laws of three governments: New Brunswick, Canada (federal), and the child's country of origin. This path is often rewarding, but it is complex and requires careful adherence to legal processes.

Laws and Legal Framework

The process is directed by three levels of law designed to protect children and prevent illegal practices:

• Provincial Law: The New Brunswick Inter-country Adoption Act governs how NB residents are assessed and approved to adopt from abroad. The Minister of Social Development is the central authority.

• International Law (The Hague Convention): Canada and many countries adhere to The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. This agreement provides fundamental safeguards to ensure adoptions are in the child's best interests.

• Federal Law: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) handles the final stage: granting the child Canadian citizenship or permanent residency to allow them to enter Canada.

The Steps of the Inter-country Adoption Journey

The entire journey must begin with the agency authorized by the province of New Brunswick.

Step 1: Contact the Authorized Agency

• In New Brunswick, you must work with Gentle Path Counselling Services Ltd., the only agency authorized by the Minister of Social Development to provide assistance, training, and assessments for inter-country adoption.

Step 2: Training and Assessment

• Mandatory Training: You must complete the required training program (often PRIDE or a similar course provided by the agency) to prepare for parenting a child who may have experienced loss or trauma.

• The Home Assessment (Home Study): The agency will conduct a thorough SAFE Home Assessment of your family's history, background, health, and suitability to adopt. This report is vital for your submission to the foreign country.

Step 3: Dossier and Country Selection

• Once provincially approved, the agency will help you prepare your Dossier, a compilation of all necessary documents authenticated and translated according to the foreign country's requirements.

• You may need to engage a licensed agency outside of NB to facilitate the adoption proceedings with the foreign country.

Step 4: Placement, Finalization, and Travel

• This involves matching with a child, traveling to the child's country of origin to meet them, completing the legal finalization (the adoption or guardianship order), and securing necessary exit documentation.

Step 5: Citizenship and Immigration

• You must apply to the federal government (IRCC) for your child's Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Residency to legally bring your child home.

The Commitment: Costs and Support

• Cost: Expenses are considerable, often ranging from $18,000 to $50,000, covering agency fees, travel, legal costs, translation, and post-placement reports.

• Time: The process can take several years from application to the child's arrival.

• Caution: Only work with the authorized NB agency and carefully vetted, licensed agencies to avoid irregular or unethical adoption practices.

Find More Information and Support

• Gentle Path Counselling Services (Authorized Agency): Provides training and assessments.

  • Phone (Toll-Free): 1-888-394-4022

  • Gentle Path - Inter-Country Adoption Program

• Government of New Brunswick (GNB): Details on the Inter-country Adoption process and provincial requirements.

  • Inter Country Adoption Brochure - GNB.ca

• Government of Canada (IRCC): Federal process for bringing your adopted child to Canada.

  • Adopt a child from abroad - Canada.ca

  • Adoption fraud - Canada.ca

• Hague Convention: Official international text governing ethical adoptions.

  • Hague Convention on Protection of Children

Private adoption is an arrangement made directly between the biological parent(s) and the prospective adoptive parents. While the initial match is private, the entire process is strictly regulated and supervised by the New Brunswick Department of Social Development (DSD), operating under the Child and Youth Well-Being Act.

Phase 1: Private Arrangement and Legal Initiation

The process must be initiated with legal counsel and strict adherence to provincial law regarding contact.

• The Critical First Step: Secure a Lawyer
  It is mandatory to hire a lawyer specializing in family law and adoption. Your lawyer will manage the legal notifications, documentation, and the final court application.

  • You can find specialized legal counsel using the Law Society of New Brunswick's directory: Lawyer Directory.

• Legal Prohibition on Solicitation
  Any kind of solicitation or advertising for adoption is strictly forbidden by law in New Brunswick. The arrangement must be pre-existing and privately initiated.

• Mandatory Legal Notification (The 60-Day Rule)
  The prospective adoptive family and the birth parent(s) must notify the Minister of Social Development in writing of the proposed adoption. This notice must be sent no later than 60 days prior to the proposed placement of the child in the adoptive home.

Phase 2: Government Oversight and Assessment

The DSD oversees this phase, which focuses on mandatory training, background checks, and evaluation of the home environment.

• Provide Documentation and Complete Training
  Applicants must submit extensive documentation, including birth certificates, proof of a stable relationship (if adopting jointly for at least two years), and a financial statement.

  • Background Checks: All adults (19+) in the home must undergo mandatory Criminal and Vulnerable Sector Record Checks and DSD record checks.

  • Birth Parent Report: A Social / Medical Background report on the birth parent(s) must also be completed.

  • Training: Applicants must complete the DSD's required adoption preparation training (e.g., PRIDE).

• The Home Assessment
  A DSD social worker will conduct a thorough Private Adoption Home Assessment (Home Study) over multiple visits to evaluate the suitability of the prospective home and family dynamics.

• Placement Suitability Conference
  The completed Home Assessment is presented at this conference to formally determine if the placement is in the child's best interests. Both the prospective and birth parent(s) are advised of the outcome.

Phase 3: Finalization and Legal Transfer

The final steps involve formal consent and securing the legal transfer of parental rights through the courts.

• Formal Consent and Revocation Period
  The birth parent(s) gives legal consent to the adoption. They have a right to change their mind and revoke this consent for a period of 30 days after it is given.

  • Openness Agreements: Parties may enter into a written openness agreement to outline post-adoption contact.
    
    

• Obtain the Adoption Order
  Once the 30-day revocation period has passed and all DSD requirements are satisfied, your lawyer files the Application for an Adoption Order with the Court of King's Bench. The court's order legally finalizes the adoption and transfers full parental rights to the adoptive parents.

Key Resources for Private Adoption

• Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) : Family Law Information Line
  General legal information on family law matters (Note: Does not provide legal advice).
  Phone (Toll-Free): 1-888-236-2444
  
  

• Social Supports NB - Adopting a Child or Youth
  Government oversight, application, training, and assessment.
  
  

• Law Society of New Brunswick: Lawyer Directory
  Directory to find lawyers specializing in family/adoption law.

 Adopting a step-child or partner's child in New Brunswick is a specific, court-based legal process, often referred to as a Step-Parent Adoption. It is governed by the Child and Youth Well-Being Act and the Family Law Act.

The process formalizes the existing family relationship and legally terminates the parental rights of the non-custodial biological parent.

Key Steps and Court Requirements

1. Seek Legal Advice: This is a court-based legal process, and it is highly recommended to hire a family law lawyer to assist you.

   • Finding a Lawyer: Use the Law Society of New Brunswick's directory to find specialized counsel: Lawyer Directory.

   • Free Consultation: You can contact the Family Advice Lawyers Service for a free consultation at 1-855-266-0266. If you live in the Saint John or Moncton judicial districts, you can book an appointment through their local Family Law Information Centre (FLIC): Saint John FLIC (506-658-2261) or Moncton FLIC (506-856-3131).

2. File Court Application: The process is initiated through the New Brunswick Court of King's Bench. You will need to use forms found under the Forms Regulation, typically in the range of numbers 13 through 22, but a lawyer can confirm exactly which ones are necessary for your case.

3. Meet Residency Requirements: Generally, the court can grant an Adoption Order once the spouse seeking to adopt has lived continuously with the child for six months.

4. Obtain Consent: Consent is required from two parties:

   • The Child: If the child is 12 years old or older, their consent is required for the adoption and/or any change of name.

   • The Other Biological Parent: The consent of the child’s non-custodial biological parent is normally required.

5. Waiving Consent: The court may waive the requirement for a parent’s consent in certain situations. For example, if the parent has abandoned the child and cannot be located after all reasonable attempts have been made to find them.

Legal Outcome of the Adoption Order

The final court order legally changes the child's family structure:

• Final Loss of Rights: Once the court issues the Adoption Order, the non-custodial biological parent loses all their legal rights and responsibilities to the child.

• End of Child Support: This loss of responsibility includes the obligation to pay child support.

• New Documentation: The child's birth registration papers will be legally changed to reflect the adoptive parent.

Helpful Legal Resources

• Family Law Information Line (PLEIS-NB): For general information on family law matters, call 1-888-236-2444.

• Online Legal Resources: The FamilyLawNB.ca website provides self-help guides and fillable court forms.