|
We adopted thru SK Social Services. In completing the lengthy checklist of what we would and wouldn't accept, we were told to ignore 'aboriginal' because they weren't placing aboriginal children with white families. It's been a long time now, but I think we did check 'caucasian' only.
At any rate, the first referral that we got was for the baby that would become our daughter; birthmom is Cree, birthfather unidentifed but white. SW did tell us that this was an extraordinary situation, in that birthmom was going outside of her band, that she had little to do with her band (which incidentally wasn't true - she was receiving financial assistance for education); also, we were told that birthmom was only 1/2 Cree (also not true - both her parents were full). We were also told that dd can apply for registration with the band when she is 18, and that she would then be eligible for education assistance as well.
This remains confusing to me! that we were told we would never be given an opportunity to consider aboriginal, but I am grateful for a system that gives birthmoms a choice, the best choice for her child, regardless of race.
Ours is an open adoption, and dd has contact with her birthmom and siblings, and will be able to learn about and accept their culture and ours, because that's who she is (we're all becoming quite blended culturally!)
Babs
|