In Québec, dozens of children each year are placed for adoption or removed from their family environment due to severe negligence or violence. The Association Emmanuel recognizes that every child has the right to a family, regardless of their disability or the extent of their needs, whatever they may be. We hope that every child born different from others—and often rejected for that reason—will experience the normalcy of family life: first and foremost with their birth family, or, when circumstances permit, with an adoptive family, or with a permanent foster family.
Profiles of children
The needs of children looking for a family vary widely. There is no set list of criteria defining the children referred to the Association Emmanuel. They are aged between 0 and 17, and each has their own unique history, background, and needs.
Most of the children supported by the Association are up for adoption or in the “Mixed Bank” program (programme Banque mixte). Some have special needs related to development, physical or mental health, learning, behavior, and so on. However, they all have one thing in common: the need to find a stable, safe, and permanent home where they can grow, thrive, and form lasting bonds of attachment.
Many of these children have experienced neglect, abuse, or other forms of adversity that required intervention by the Youth Protection Agency (Direction de la protection de la jeunesse – DPJ). The impact of these experiences varies considerably from one child to another. That is why each matching process is tailored to the child’s specific needs and the family’s ability to meet them.
Here are a few examples of children adopted through our organization
These children may:
✦ be with cerebral palsy
✦ be with partial or total hearing loss
✦ be with various syndromes such as: Prader-Willi, Cri du chat, Lowe, fetal alcohol syndrome, etc.
✦ have trauma and/or attachment issues
✦ have Down syndrome
✦ have been born to mothers who are drug users or who are HIV-positive
✦ have any other child whose disability results from the environment’s inability to meet his or her needs
Required Parenting Skills
Adopting a child with special needs requires a serious commitment. While there is no such thing as an “ideal” candidate, adoption is still the result of careful consideration—and can even be a life-long commitment. You have to be willing to dedicate yourself to a child!
Steps in the foster care and/or adoption process
To be done simultaneously
| Procedures with Association Emmanuel | Procedures with the Social Services |
|---|---|
| ✦ Get informed and reflect: Attend the information session on adoption and special needs. | ✦ Register with your regional adoption service. |
| ✦ Get ready: Fill out the registration form, participate in training sessions, and receive guidance as you think through your family project. | ✦ Attend the mandatory information session. |
| ✦ Meet with the Association’s Family and Social Services Worker to produce a family portrait. | ✦ Fill in and submit the required documents. |
| ✦ Ongoing support: Assistance before, during, and after the child’s arrival. | ✦ Submit to home and psychosocial evaluation. |
| ✦ Continue with the necessary clinical and legal procedures, while adhering to the specific steps and requirements of the DPJ in your region. |
Information kit
If you’re concerned in any way about welcoming a child with special needs, the first step is to get some information. Request the free information kit. You’ll receive an email with a link to download the kit.
To parents or future applicants
If you have any questions, would like to register, or require pre- or post-reception support, please contact our Family and Social Services Worker at intervention@emmanuel.qc.ca.