The real key for them is that they provide that holistic support. It's really about a child being adopted by a whole community.
I went to one of the adoption ceremonies, Madam Member. There were approximately six children there. Only one was a baby. The rest were between the ages of about six and 16, and some of them had special needs.
The birth family, the extended birth family, the child, the adoptive family, and the extended adoptive family all had supportive services before the adoption. So it's as if everybody is umbrellaed and supported in this whole process.
The adoption ceremony itself happens in front of all community members. This isn't a secret. It's a celebration. The child is honoured for making it possible for the adults to have a growing, extended family. It's kind of like two families marrying each other. And the child is honoured for making that possible. The child is bringing greater supports to the adults in the community. That's the wonderful thing about this model. And I think that's why it's been so successful.