A HELPING HAND IN YOUR PRIVATE ADOPTION

Private Adoption Lawyers

You have a solid connection to and love the child brought into your life. The next step for you and the child is forming a legal bond that reflects your emotional ties. Legally formalizing your relationship as a family will allow you to be recognized as the parent of your child, protect them through legal means, and even share your very own last name with them.

Private adoption can bring a sense of stability as the child will be treated as equal to a biological child of your own. However, the private adoption process can be complex and challenging to navigate.

At DLegal, we know this is a sensitive issue for many families. That is why you will have only one lawyer handle your application in strict confidence. We make sure to accommodate our approach to your unique family circumstances. At DLegal, we work with the utmost care and understanding so you can welcome a new member into your loving family as soon as possible.

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Types of Private Adoptions

In Alberta, private adoptions can be categorized mainly into third-party adoptions and step-parent adoptions. These forms offer different pathways for adoptive parents, tailored to meet the needs of various familial configurations and situations.

Third-party Adoption

This type of private adoption involves a child being adopted by a new family member, meaning someone who is not a biological parent or a pre-existing legal guardian of the child. Third-party adoptions in Alberta are handled by licensed adoption agencies; however, while adoption agencies provide a wide range of services, the process can involve complex legal procedures and documents. Family law lawyers specializing in adoption law can provide the necessary legal expertise to navigate these processes, ensuring that all legal requirements are met and helping to avoid potential legal issues that could arise.

Step-parent Adoption

A step-parent adoption is a form of private adoption where a step-parent legally adopts their spouse’s biological child. This process solidifies the legal parent-child relationship, granting the step-parent the same legal rights and responsibilities as the biological parent. Step-parent adoptions in Alberta require the consent of all legal guardians of the child and, in some cases, the child themselves, depending on their age and understanding of the process.

Requirements to Adopt a Child in Alberta

Alberta law stipulates that adoptive parents can be single individuals, married or common-law couples, including same-sex couples. Both residents and non-residents of Alberta can apply for adoption, but non-residents must demonstrate a significant connection to the province and may encounter additional requirements.

There are no strict age limits for adoptive parents, but they must be at least 18 years old with a significant age difference between them and the child to ensure a suitable parent-child relationship. To be eligible to adopt, you must demonstrate financial and domestic stability in your home.

How It Works

Preparing for Our First Meeting

To start the process and prepare for our initial discussions, we will send a fillable PDF questionnaire. The questionnaire will contain information about the process and help us gather information about you, the child, and your family. We will also ask you to gather any necessary documentation, such as a marriage certificate, police clearance certificate, and the child’s birth certificate.

The Initial Meeting

When you have reviewed the questionnaire, we will meet to discuss your unique family situation and ensure that we have all the necessary documents. Afterward, we will start working on the paperwork. For your convenience, we can host this meeting online, in person, or over the phone.

We Take Care of the Paperwork

After our initial meeting, we will draft the paperwork. Once completed, we will meet again to go through the paperwork together and check that everything is correct. We will then be ready to sign and send the application to court.

The Judge's Review

A judge will review our application to make a decision. This process takes about 2 to 4 months. In exceptional cases, we may be asked for further information or be requested to appear for an in-person hearing. No matter what happens, we will be by your side to guide you through the process.

Our Role in the Private Adoption Process

At DLegal, our private adoption lawyers know the ins and outs of Alberta family law and will guide you through every step of the adoption process. We will be your key contact for drafting and signing the paperwork, representing your interests in court, and ensuring that the adoption process is as smooth as possible so that the child can become an official member of your family as soon as possible.

At DLegal, we offer flat rates for standard adoption applications. Our flat fees are listed transparently on our website. There are no surprise additional fees when you partner with DLeal. Our strong relationships with our clients are based on a foundation of trust.

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