he federal level. This act establishes a uniform definition of a child throughout Canada, as an individual under 18 years old (Melichercik, 1987). The Act also shields children from treatment as adults in the criminal justice system.
Social programs designed to provide substitutes for parental care deal with foster care, group care, and adoption (Melichercik, 1987). Foster care is designed to provide a substitute for parental care in cases where it is generally assumed that the parental incapacity to provide acceptable care is temporary. In the past, foster placement was sought in stable families with children, where the foster parents were willing to accomodate children in need under the auspicies of the state. As increasing numbers of women sought and obtained employment outside of the home, however, the pool of foster parents shrank. Current policy seeks to train individuals to become, in effect, professional foster parents, werein the foster parents may or may not have any children of their own living in the home. Group care is intended for children whose problems are so severe that they are not considered to be good candidates for foster care (Melichercik, 1987). Group care is residential in character in Canada, and tends to be treatment oriented (Melichercik, 1987). This type of care is delivered by qualified professionals, in settings where social, emotional, psychological, educational, child care, nursing, and other special needs of children may be effectively addressed. Group care is discouraged in Canada, as a consequence of the high costs associated with its delivery (Callahan, 1985).
Adoption services in Canada fall under only provincial jurisdiction (Melichercik, 1987). In most provinces, adoption services are provided by both a designated adoption agency (usually governmental, but, at times, quasi governmental), and through private placement agents (Melichercik, 1987). Adoption services in Canada are c...