A total of 24 children are expected to be united with their adoptive families in Alberta. The 21 families receiving the children have been involved in the adoption process for up to two years, waiting for their adoptions to be finalized in Haiti.&nbsp &nbsp

“International adoption is often a lengthy and complex process that can be stressful for adoptive families and their children,” said Minister of Children and Youth Services, Yvonne Fritz.

“The devastation caused by this earthquake has made recent days very difficult for our families adopting children from Haiti. The parents are deeply concerned about the welfare of their children and are anxious to bring them home,” said Fritz. “Our ministry will continue to do everything we can to ensure the children are united with their parents as quickly as possible.”

Children and Youth Services adoption staff have been in continuous contact with the parents from Alberta. They have been working quickly to provide the federal government with the confirmation needed to ensure that the children in the process of being adopted by families from Alberta are among the first to arrive in Canada from Haiti.

With assistance from Alberta Justice and Attorney General, efforts include putting a process in place to ensure that the children who do not yet have adoption orders from Haiti have a legal guardian when they arrive in Alberta, until court orders finalizing the adoptions can be approved.

“I want to thank everyone for working vigorously to expedite this process. It will better the lives of these vulnerable children affected by this horrific earthquake,” said Minister of Justice and Attorney General Alison Redford.

The Alberta government will ensure that the children will immediately be placed in the care of their adoptive families when they arrive in Alberta.