Canadian couples who have been dreaming of adopting a child, preparing rooms, buying clothes and making announcements now find themselves in limbo. During the second week of July, the Ontario-based Kids Link International went into receivership.

A July 17 Winnipeg Free Press article provided the following details:

Kids Link operated Imagine Adoption, which organized adoptions from Ethiopia and co-ordinated them in Manitoba with Winnipeg-based Adoption Options. BDO Dunwoody, a bankruptcy trustee, has been assigned to take over Kids Link's files, but nine Manitoba couples and hundreds of other Canadians have no idea what will come of their parenting hopes.

Manitoba's assistant deputy minister of Child and Family Services Carolyn Loeppky said the agency learned of the problems with Kids Link on Monday. The province is expected to take part in a cross-country teleconference next week to see what can be done, she said.

"We know that families are probably anxious right now, and we do feel for them, because this is a very important life decision that families make," she said.
The Province of Alberta has promised to help families there affected by the bankruptcy, but Loeppky said Manitoba is still waiting for information from BDO Dunwoody "to give good advice to Manitoba families."

Kids Link operated an agency called Imagine Adoption, which organized adoptions from Ethiopia. There are currently about 20 adoptions that had been initiated through Kids Link which will now need to be completed through other means. An additional 30 children have been matched with parents as well.

Labels: international, Canada

Posted By: Aspen/CRC