Criminal Record Checks During the Adoption Process

An open criminal record can ruin a lot of planning. Since adopting a child is a provincially controlled process, each province will have different requirements. One requirement that has remained the same across all provinces is the home study.
Before adopting, a couple, or hopeful single parent will submit to an interview process that lasts anywhere from 6 to 8 months. A qualified adoption practitioner (formerly called a social worker) comes to the home and does their best to help you understand exactly what you’re getting into. They also inspect the home, conduct several interviews, gather references, and complete a thorough background check of your criminal record.

How a criminal record can affect your adoption application

The thing to remember is that the best interests of a child are at stake. It doesn’t matter if you only made one mistake, or if it happened years ago. If you have a criminal record, your chances at adoption are small to none. Even if you were never found guilty of a crime, a record of arrests from your youth can throw your application into serious question.

How Express Pardons can help

As long as enough time has passed, Express Pardons can get you the record suspension (formerly known as a pardon) you need to purge your criminal record (unless you were convicted of a serious crime like Child Abuse). The adoption process can sometimes stretch on in excess of 2 years. Getting a record suspension could also take a substantial investment in time.

Here at Express Pardons, we always work hard to get you the fastest record suspension possible. If you are looking to start a family, but are worried about your criminal record, contact or call us today. Why wait any longer than you need?