Adoption Services
Are you interested in adopting? Do you have questions?
Call us: 819-822-2728, ext. 52424 | Toll-free: 1-800-463-5769, ext. 52424. A staff member from the Adoption Service will answer your questions.
Adopting a child
The Director of Youth Protection (DYP) of the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS provides the services necessary for adopting a child.
Adoption is the life plan that provides the greatest stability for a child. It results in a severing of ties between the child and their birth parents. Consequently, new family ties are created through adoption. These ties endure even after the child becomes an adult.
In Quebec, there are three types of adoption:
Regular adoption
In Quebec, regular adoption involves children whose biological parents have chosen to place their child for adoption. These are generally newborns.
The wait time to welcome a child can be several years.
Adoptive families receive psychosocial support until the legal adoption process is complete.
Adoption under the Banque mixte program
This adoption program involves placing a child with a foster family that wishes to adopt. The child has been removed from their family environment following a report to the Director of Youth Protection (DYP). The parents of these children are experiencing personal difficulties that prevent them from caring for their children and meeting their needs. These are children for whom the likelihood of returning to their family environment is low.
These children urgently need a suitable and stable living environment and, eventually, to be adopted.
The Youth Protection Act promotes the return of the child to their biological parents, provided they significantly improve their situation. This decision is made in the child’s best interest and for their well-being.
Adoption is considered only if the child’s return to their family of origin is not possible. When a child is placed with a mixed bank foster family, adoption is not guaranteed.
International Adoption
This type of adoption involves children from other Canadian provinces or foreign countries.
“In the case of an international adoption, you must first consult the page on international adoption on the Government of Québec’s website before contacting the DPJ’s adoption services.”
Please note: It is not possible to pursue an adoption process in Quebec at the same time as an adoption process outside Quebec (in other Canadian provinces or internationally).
Information Sessions for Regular Adoption or under the Banque Mixte Program
You must first contact the adoption service to register by phone (at 819-822-2728, ext. 52424, or toll-free at 1-800-463-5769, ext. 52424) for an information session. Information sessions are offered virtually via the Teams app.
Upcoming information sessions:
- Monday, June 15, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- Friday, August 28, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Wednesday, September 30, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Anyone wishing to adopt must meet a set of criteria*, including:
- having a stable marital status for at least two years, either living together for couples or living alone for single people;
- being in good physical and mental health;
- not have a criminal record related to the function;
- be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
- be able to ensure the child’s material security;
*non-exhaustive list