Ontario to make it easier for kids in care to find a forever home

TORONTO – Ontario is taking steps to make it easier for kids in care of Children’s Aid Societies to find a permanent family while also providing more support to adoptive parents.

The province plans to hire 19 “adoption recruiters,” in partnership with a program called Wendy’s Wonderful Kids run by the Dave Thomas Foundation, to help children find a “forever” home.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Children’s Aid Societies will be required to expand their use of the AdoptOntario website to match more of the 6,400 Crown wards with waiting families.

The government will also expand a subsidies program by extending the age of eligibility to eight-to-21-year-olds from 10-to-18-year-olds and invest in a post-adoption family support program.

For youth who are still in care, the government will extend funding to their caregivers to the age of 21 instead of 18 to provide a stable home if they need more time to complete high school.

There is no cost to adoptive parents to go through Ontario’s public adoption process with a Children’s Aid Society.