Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services (KRRDCFS) is a publically funded agency who charges no fees and is staffed by social workers who are skilled and experienced in adoption issues.

We realize that adoption is a difficult decision and we respect your need for objective, unbiased, confidential service and emotional support.

Planning a child’s future is a difficult but important task and, we believe that a close examination of all options is required for birth parents and adoptive parents.  Your life situation is treated with uniqueness and unbiased opinions by the adoption staff and we are confident in our abilities to offer the services that best suit your family.

What is Adoption?

Adoption is a legal and social process through which a child becomes a part of a new family.  It is intended to provide the child with permanence and security and is a lifelong process that requires commitment, patience and skill.

A key role of KRRDCFS is to secure permanency for children in our care.  Permanency planning is based on the philosophy that every child has the right to a stable, nurturing family, preferably with the child’s own family and community.  Adoption provides the child with a new legal family and identity.  A child who is adopted has the same status and rights as if he/she were born into the family.

Who Do We Serve?

We assist and support all parties involved in the adoption process, including:

  • People who are considering adopting a child

  • Birth parents before, during and after the birth of their child

  • Adoptive families and adoptees dealing with adoption related issues

What Services Do We Provide?

We provide a comprehensive range of services, including:

  • Education, counseling, and support to prospective adoptive parents

  • Education, counseling, and support to  birth parents

  • Adoption preparation and SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) home studies

  • Post-adoption counseling

  • Counseling for reunions with birth families

  • Release of non-identifying information recorded at the time of the adoption

Adoption Disclosure

The role of KRRDCFS is limited to the provision of non-identifying social and medical histories for adopted persons.  If you were placed for adoption through KRRDCFS, and do not have your non-identifying history, you may contact our Intake Department to request this service.

The Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services provides additional information for those individuals searching for adoption records in Ontario.

Where to find more information…

Families interested in adopting should visit Centralized Adoption Intake Services to learn about adoption in the province of Ontario.

AdoptOntario is for families interested in adoption – whether approved for adoption, in the process of being assessed, or making initial inquiries about the process.

The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services offers information for families who are thinking about adoption, 3 ways to adopt a child in Ontario, the adoption process in Ontario, and life after adoption. 

Adoption Council of Canada raises public awareness of adoption, promotes the placement of waiting children and youth across Canada, and stresses the importance of post-adoption services.

The Canada’s Waiting Children (CWC) program is intended to be an additional resource to prospective adoptive parents who are going through the adoption process with an agency in their area. The focus is to find permanent families for older children and youth and those living with visible or invisible disabilities, including those related to developmental trauma. Canada's Waiting Children and Youth is the only national child-specific photo listing program in Canada.