The same socio-economic factors that bring children into care also prevent those adoptions from happening, and also prevent fostering.
In those circumstances where families are interested, because the provincial process of adoption is quite arduous, we circumvent that through a simple application of guardianship. When we have an aunt, an uncle, or a kookoo who want guardianship of their nieces, nephews or grandchildren, we simply ask them to apply for guardianship in Manitoba.
I don't know if you're aware, but anybody can apply for guardianship of anybody's kids. We do an uncontested application for guardianship in those cases where families want to adopt their nieces or nephews. It goes more quickly.
There are issues around financial support, and there is subsidized adoption in Manitoba. Again, engaging in that process is quite arduous, so we have found that doing applications for guardianship are quicker, cleaner and they cost less money for families.