November is Adoption and Permanency Awareness Month!
Join us in raising awareness about children and youth in BC who are waiting for permanency and celebrate permanent families of all kinds.
Upcoming events | What is Adoption and Permanency Awareness Month? | What is permanency? | More ways to learn and connect | Get involved | Access resources
This year, Adoption and Permanency Awareness Month (APAM) focuses on sibling relationships and the role they play in the lives of children and youth who join families through adoption, kinship, and other forms of permanency.
Along with raising awareness of children and youth in BC who are waiting for permanent homes, we’re using this month to share stories, resources, and learning opportunities about sibling relationships.
Upcoming Events
As part of APAM, we’re hosting a series of free online events exploring sibling relationships in families formed through adoption and permanency.
Nurturing Healthy Sibling Relationships in Families Joined Through Permanency
Sibling relationships can be complex, especially when children have different experiences of trauma, attachment, and development. This workshop explores ways to navigate conflict, respond to individual needs, and build healthier sibling relationships, including in families with both biological and adopted children.
Growing Together, Growing Differently: Parenting Adopted Children from Different Birth Families
Children adopted from different birth families can have very different histories, experiences, and needs. This workshop offers practical strategies for supporting each child’s identity and individual needs while building family connections without comparison or expectations of sameness.
Parent Panel: Raising Sibling Groups
Hear firsthand from four families about the rewards and challenges of raising sibling groups through adoption and permanency. This Q&A session is an opportunity for waiting families and parents considering another adoption to ask questions and learn from others’ experiences.
What is Adoption and Permanency Awareness Month?
APAM takes place every November in BC to draw attention to the children and teens who are waiting for permanent homes through adoption, guardianship, kinship placement, or another form of permanency.
Successful adoption and permanency matches are based on the best fit for the child. That means that some families will be matched quickly, while others will wait longer. The greatest need is for prospective parents who are:
- Indigenous;
- open to adopting siblings;
- open to adopting a teenager; and/or
- open to adopting children with special needs (such as early abuse or neglect, behavioural challenges, learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder).
What is permanency?
Permanency means family, belonging, and lifelong connection. There are many ways to create permanency including adoption, guardianship, kinship care, and Indigenous customary care. Permanency has four dimensions: legal, physical, cultural, and relational permanency.
More ways to learn and connect
Whether you’re interested in adoption, looking to connect with other families, or supporting children and youth in your work, here are some additional resources and opportunities to explore.
Learn about adoption and permanency
Interested in adopting or providing a permanent home for a child or youth? These resources can help you learn more about the process and what to expect.
- Introduction to Adoption and Permanency self-paced course
- Adopt BC Kids information session video series
Connect with other families
Join one of our online support groups to connect with others, share experiences, and find support.
- November 17: Face to Face Connections: Online parent meetup (for adoptive and other permanency parents and caregivers)
- November 18: Waiting Parents online discussion group (for families waiting to welcome a child or youth through adoption)
Resources for professionals
If you work with children, youth, or families, explore our For professionals toolkit for information and resources to support your work.
Get involved
Children and youth in BC are waiting for permanency. You can make a difference.
- Share our Adoption & Permanency Awareness Month content and create your own! Use the hashtags #APAM2026 and #PermanencyMeansFamily and don’t forget to tag us @belongingnetwork
- Watch this Q&A town hall with Métis Family Services and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Watch here.
- Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
- Donate to the Belonging Network and help us continue to provide programs and services in your community for families and kids! Your donation also helps us create new programs. Donate online now!
- Host a Belonging Network fundraiser for your birthday or special event! Email us at development@belongingnetwork.com to learn about hosting a fundraiser.
- Do you have a permanency story to share? We’d love to hear from you. All perspectives and permanency experiences are welcome. We’re especially interested in amplifying the voices of adoptees, people who joined their families through other forms of permanency, and birth/first family members with open relationships. To get started, please fill out this form, or message or tag us @belongingnetwork on social media.
