CARC – International Adoption
Creating Families, Changing Lives
About Us
Our Mission
Our mission is to create loving families by connecting children in need with adoptive parents, while providing dedicated and supportive guidance every step of the way.
Do you dream about having a child?
Playdates in the park, balloon-filled birthday parties, first days of school, are things many couples dream about.
Whether you have decided to adopt to fulfill your dreams of parenthood or want to give an unfortunate child a better chance at life, talk to us. CARC International Adoption (CARC) opens the door to the possibility of giving a child the gift of a wonderful life and receiving a life filled with love in return. Since 1996, CARC has helped create hundreds of happy families by facilitating the adoption of beautiful children for couples from Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan.
Private adoption intercountry agency
As a private adoption intercountry agency, we specialize in matching prospective adoptive parents with precious children in need of a family . We’re licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and by the foreign governments. Everything is approved by governments at home and abroad. We provide services in a cost-effective and time-saving manner, ensuring that everything we do is in the best interest of the child and the adoptive parents.
Meet Our Team
Our Board of Directors is comprised of compassionate and experienced professionals who bring a deep range of experience and skill sets to the table.
Mihaela Nitescu
Executive Director
“Adoption is a profound act of love that transforms lives for the better, building families and providing children with loving, stable homes where they can thrive.”
Mihaela Nitescu
Mihaela Nitescu has always been inspired by a drive to help people achieve their goals and dreams through problem-solving and support. After adopting a Romanian child in 2019, Mihaela made it her mission to help others experience the same joy. She joined the CARC – I.A. Board of Directors that year and, since then, has completed training courses with the Adoption Council of Ontario to better understand the specifics of adoption and to help guide prospective parents through the adoption process. In her capacity as Executive Director, Mihaela manages and oversees the entire operation of CARC – I.A., and the process of adoption.
Nelli Hooper
Board Chair
“You can never possibly imagine how much love your heart can hold until you meet your child.”
Nelli Hooper
With over 26 years of experience working with parents and children in public and private roles, Nelli Hooper brings a wealth of knowledge about family dynamics, child care, and child development—including atypical needs—to the team. She channels her compassion and dedication to help match Romanian children with loving families to ensure positive parenting experiences and healthy children.
Claudia Ruysam
Board Vice Chair
“Adopting a child will unleash your infinite capacity for unconditional love.”
Claudia Ruysam
Claudia brings a wealth of experience in social services, child and youth care, and education. She has a strong background in supporting children and youth facing emotional and behavioural challenges. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian, Claudia provides inclusive and empathetic care. Her dedication to fostering trust, collaboration, and empowerment has made a meaningful impact on the lives of families and individuals
Andrea Buliga
Secretary
“Giving birth isn’t what makes a mother. Creating a wonderful, loving life is.”
Andrea Buliga
Andreea Buliga is an experienced perioperative Nurse Manager known for her commitment to refining healthcare processes to deliver positive, patient-centered outcomes. Trained in both European and Canadian systems, she brings a balanced approach that integrates conventional medical knowledge with holistic principles, prioritizing human dignity and well-being. Andreea’s compassionate nature shines through her dedication to helping others, drawing on her extensive knowledge of Ontario’s child-related social services. Beyond her nursing role, she values the healing potential of creativity, using her experience in acting to deepen empathy and foster understanding across all aspects of her work.
Annual Report
Our annual reports provide a summary of activities and operations from the previous year. These documents are available for review as part of our commitment to transparency and accountability.
adoption process
Our Services
We’re on your adoption journey with you, every step of the way.
Acting as Your Liaison Throughout the Adoption Process
Every journey begins with a single step. We’ll be right by your side helping you navigate that exciting first step and each one after that, until you bring your little one home. When you embark on your adoption journey, you’ll be working with a few parties: the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services in Ontario, foreign governments abroad and an Adoption Practitioner who will conduct your homestudy assessment here in Ontario. CARC - I.A. will be your liaison for all these, guiding you through your exciting journey towards parenthood.
Overview of the Journey
Here’s an overview of how the adoption process works:
Steps Of the Process
International adoption has many steps. We help make the process simpler.
We know prospective parents are excited to move the process along as quickly as possible. That’s why we work behind the scenes to help keep things on track and running smoothly. From facilitating your provincial Letter of Approval, to adoption from abroad, to processing documents from governments at home and abroad, we help you get through the red tape and get your new family member home.
Step 1: Pre-adoption Consultation
At our first meeting, we will share how the adoption process works and what costs to expect. Since we are an Ontario-licensed Adoption Agency and authorized to facilitate international adoptions, we can help the process go smoothly and quickly, both at home and abroad, so you will have the best
possible chance for success at every stage.
Step 2: Choosing a Private Adoption Practitioner to Prepare Your Homestudy
This mandatory first step is a big one, with many parts. The goal of it is to assess your eligibility to become AdoptReady to bring home an adopted child. It involves a provincially approved Adoption Practitioner conducting a Homestudy and visiting your residence. We will work with you to arrange for this. During this series of interviews with the Adoption Practitioner, you’ll learn about the unique challenges of raising an adopted child and your skills as potential parents will be assessed.
Step 3: Completing the Mandatory PRIDE Program
All prospective parents must take a parenting course called PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education). This is a 27-hour training course that helps prepare you for the responsibilities that come with welcoming an adopted child into your family. Topics usually include insight into adoption and child welfare systems, how to deal with attachment issues, the potential impact of adoption on your family, child development in adopted children, the importance of cultural and racial awareness, and more.
Step 4: Obtaining the Letter of Approval
Once your Homestudy has been finalized and you’ve completed the PRIDE course, CARC will put together the complete file with all the necessary documents and send it to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services in Ontario to obtain your Letter of Approval to adopt a child.
Step 5: Applying for Canadian Citizenship of the Adoptive Child
The adoptive parents apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada to obtain Canadian Citizenship for the prospective adoptive child. If the applicants are not Canadian citizens, they should apply for Sponsorship of the prospective adoptive child. CARC is not involved in the immigration process.
Step 6: Prepare Your File to Be Sent Abroad
Once you have the Letter of Approval from the Ontario Ministry, things can really start moving. At this point, CARC will prepare your file for the foreign authority with all the required documents and send the dossier abroad for matching with a potential child.
Step 7: Getting Matched with a Child
This is the moment that prospective parents dream of. First birthday cakes and first days of school become that much more real when the foreign authority sends a proposal for a potential child. CARC will receive the documents with the social and medical history of the child and will send them to your Adoption Practitioner to discuss with you.
Can you envision this little one becoming a part of your family? Accept the proposal, and you’ll travel to start the adoption process abroad. Once the Child Proposal is accepted, the Adoption Practitioner will prepare the document with the comments of acceptance and send it to CARC to revise and complete the file and CARC will send it to the Ontario Ministry for approval, and then to the foreign authority.
Take out your largest suitcase because you’ll be spending at least one month abroad to get to know your child and begin bonding.
Step 8: Finalization
Your international adoption must be finalized abroad, and the adoption order issued there. Once you have the Last Adoption Decree, your child’s Passport and New Birth Certificate, you will add the Citizenship Approval obtained previously, and send everything to the Canadian Ambassy abroad to obtain the child’s enter Visa to Canada.
You must await this decision before coming home with your child. Though you will likely be excited to return home and start your new life together, use this time as a wonderful opportunity to relax and continue bonding with your child.
Step 9: Arriving Home
You arrived with your child in Canada. Apply for the child’s Health Card, and send the following documents to CARC: Last Adoption Decree, the child’s Passport and New Birth Certificate. CARC will send these documents to the Ontario Ministry to inform that the adoption has been finalized.
Pop the champagne to celebrate your new little family member!
Step 10: Post-adoption Reports
As you fill your days taking countless photos to capture all kinds of milestones and memories, work continues behind the scenes to keep the foreign authorities up to date on your family’s welfare. Your Adoption Practitioner will write reports about your child’s progress and mental well-being. CARC will facilitate the sending of these reports to the foreign authorities.
Our Programs
We provide adoption programs across multiple countries, guiding families with expertise and care.
Testimonials
resources
Frequently Asked Questions
A private international adoption involves many steps, so it’s not surprising that prospective parents have many questions. Here are answers to some of the most common questions.
How long does the process typically take?
The adoption process could take 8 months to 2 years or more to complete. This depends on the adoptive parents’ wishes, such as age, sex, and health condition of the child.
How much does the adoption process typically cost?
At Home Costs:
CARC Costs
- Initial registration fee: $550 + HST
- Preparing and sending documents to the Ministry for the Letter of Approval: $5250 + HST
- Preparing and sending dossier to Romanian authority: $5250 + HST
- Translations, Notarizations, Legalizations, Couriers
Other Costs
- Adoption Practitioner, between $2000 to $4000
- PRIDE course
- Various Adoption Courses
- Post Adoption Reports
Abroad Costs:
Costs may vary.
What is a Homestudy, and how long does it take?
Homestudies can take approximately 6 months and are designed to protect the children and involve a thorough check of prospective homes. Typically, an Adoption Practitioner will visit your home several times to ensure the living space is safe and suitable for a child and evaluate prospective parents’ readiness to welcome a child. Homestudies also include examining your financial statements to ensure you can provide for a child.
Can I request a newborn?
The children available for international adoption in Romania are 3.5 years and older.
In other countries the children available for international adoption could be from a few months old and up.
Can I request a gender?
Yes.
Resources
Support groups, reading materials, and websites on adoption.
contact us
Are you ready to begin the journey towards realizing your dream of parenthood?
Complete this form, and we will contact you to set up a free consultation within 24 hours.
Address
CARC - International Adoption
148 Banff Rd. Toronto M4P2P7
Phone
416 999 6903
carcadoption@gmail.com
"The CARC Team gave us hope throughout our adoption journey. They were supportive and kind at every step of the way ...