Government of New Brunswick

Adoption – Subsidized Adoption

Social Development

Overview

This program involves the adoption of a child in the care of the Minister of this department who has special needs. The Minister and the family enter into an agreement for the provision of assistance either financially or through other supports to meet the child’s needs.

Eligibility

A subsidy is available to a child placed for adoption when one or more of the following apply:

- member of a sibling group to be adopted together
- a diagnosis of
- existing or potential physical/medical condition
- existing or potential emotional/mental or developmental condition
- existing or potential behavioral condition based on medical and/or placement history,
- any diagnosis must be supported by acceptable documentation from appropriate professionals. (If not accurate statement please modify accordingly)

Description

The Department recognizes that families who adopt children with special needs are often taking on extraordinary demands and may require financial assistance and other support to meet the child’s needs. The amount of subsidy depends on the costs of purchasing special equipment or services to help meet the child's special needs. The costs related to a child’s special needs are determined on a case by case basis as the needs vary and must be substantiated by documentation and recommendations of the appropriate professionals.

Before the adoption is finalized the Child-in-Care social worker, the Adoption social worker and the adoptive family jointly determine if a subsidized adoption will be entered into.

Once the adoption is finalized, the child is no longer in the care of the Minister and takes on the same rights as a biological child of the adoptive parents.

If a child requires services after the adoption is finalized, and a subsidized adoption is not in place, as with biological children, there are other programs within the Department that may provide services. The Community Based Services for Children with Special Needs would be one such program

A Subsidized Adoption may include
- costs for social/recreation activities for therapeutic or remedial purposes recommended by a therapist or medical specialist to meet the child’s special physical, intellectual, and emotional needs.
- transportation costs related to the child/ren special needs
- equipment that is necessary to meet the child’s special needs, i.e. wheelchair,
- tutoring outside school hours
- orthodontics required for medical reasons
- counseling services or
- medical expenses not covered by the parents' extended medical plans.

Services may be extended to the child’s twenty-first (21) birthday provided that the child is enrolled in a post-secondary education program or a child’s special challenge prevents him/her from being self-supporting (documentation from the child’s physician or psychologist).