Policy, Practice, and Personal Narratives: Experiences of LGBTQ People with Adoption in Ontario, Canada

In 2000, the Ontario Child and Family Services Act was amended to permit same-sex adoption. The goal of our research was to examine whether this legislative change has translated into increased access to adoption for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Forty-three LGBTQ individuals/couples who had either adopted successfully or were approved for adoption since 2000 completed a narrative interview. In this paper, we will draw from participants’ stories of adoption to illustrate the current strengths and limitations of the adoption system in Ontario, Canada, and to offer recommendations for further improvements to facilitate access for LGBTQ people.