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Experienced Kitchener family law lawyers with expertise in adoptions
Sometimes children are unable to live with one or both of their birth parents for various reasons including significant financial hardships or an inability to adequately care for them. When these situations occur, adoption is often a viable alternative for the birth parents. Adoption ensures the child will be embraced by a welcoming and loving family that has the ability to care for the child. If you are considering adopting a child, our Kitchener family law lawyers can assist you with the process. At Sherman Law LLP, we understand that the concept of the traditional family is no longer the norm and that every family is unique. We have expertise in both relative and stepparent adoptions. We help modern families with all of their adoptions needs.
Adoption is the legal means by which a caregiver to a child can permanently take on the responsibility of caring for and raising a child. In Ontario, there are four ways a child can be adopted: either by an immediate family member or a step-parent, through various children’s aid societies, through a licensed individual or private adoption agency, or through a recognized licensed international adoption agency with a provincial office.
Although it is always important for a family wishing to adopt to familiarize themselves with the process of adoption in Ontario, the lawyers at Sherman Law LLP have the experience to assist you in navigating the adoption process. |
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Are you a relative who wishes to adopt?
We assist clients who are relatives of a child that they wish to adopt without having to obtain a home study or being approved by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services as a suitable parent.
The court’s primary goal is always to assess and support the best interests, safety and well-being of the child. This assessment is based on a variety of factors such as:
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Are you a stepparent who wishes to adopt?
We assist clients who are the stepparents of a child that they wish to adopt. Stepparent adoptions usually require the consent of previous partners and spouses. If this person is not agreeable to providing consent, or cannot be located, we can assist you with making an application to the court to dispense with the consent. We can help you in completing all of the necessary paperwork and court forms, including obtaining the necessary consents to the adoption, and to finalizing the arrangements with the court. We can also assist you in changing the adopted child’s name and registering the new name with the Registrar General of Ontario. |
Are you a same-sex parent involved in assisted reproduction?
Same-sex parents in Ontario and those who have used assisted reproduction to conceive no longer have to adopt their own children. The All Families Are Equal Act ensures that couples such as those who use a sperm or egg donor or a surrogate are legally recognized as parents, updating parentage laws for the first time since 1978. Under the old rules, same-sex parents often had to go to court in order to obtain that recognition. |
For over 40 years, clients have trusted in our ability to explain the adoption process. We are confident that you will appreciate our professionalism and personalized service. To benefit from our knowledge and experience with respect to adoptions, please contact 519-884-0034 or send us an email. Many of our clients are referred to us by former and current clients, as well as by lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors. We serve clients in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Stratford, Hamilton, London and surrounding areas.
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