ASK Mission Statement
ASK is dedicated to advancing openness, education and advocacy in adoption. We provide support, resources and a platform for individuals affected by adoption to share their experiences and seek truth and connection.
Our mission is to:
- Advocate for the legal and ethical rights of adult adoptees and first families to access personal and identifying information.
- Educate the public and policymakers about the lifelong impact of adoption, especially the effects of secrecy and loss.
- Support all members of the adoption constellation—adoptees, first families and adoptive families—through peer connection, information sharing and compassionate dialogue.
- Promote systemic change that prioritizes transparency, respect and the preservation of identity in adoption practices.
Through this work, ASK strives to foster a more just, informed and compassionate adoption culture.
ASK Values
At ASK, we uphold an open, honest and respectful approach to adoption that recognizes its lifelong effects on everyone involved.
We believe that:
- The closed adoption system has caused enduring harm to adoptees, first families and adoptive families.
- Every member of the adoption community deserves dignity, compassion and respect.
- Adoption is a lifelong journey affecting individuals differently at various stages of life.
We support:
- The right of all adult adoptees to access their original Statement of Live Birth.
- The right of adult adoptees and first family members to obtain identifying information about relatives separated by adoption or foster care.
- The right of adult adoptees and first parents to access all records related to their adoption held by children’s aid societies, government agencies and hospitals.
Together, we work toward a future where truth, identity and connection are recognized as fundamental human rights within the adoption experience.
ASK Vision Statement
ASK envisions an informed, inclusive, and compassionate society where the complexities and lifelong impacts of adoption are fully understood and respectfully addressed.
To realize this vision, we are committed to:
- Educating the adoption community and the broader public about the emotional, social and psychological effects of adoption.
- Building collaborative partnerships with adoption reform organizations across Ontario and throughout Canada.
- Providing meaningful support to individuals at every stage of the search and reunion process.
- Advocating for the opening of adoption records and the ethical implementation of open adoption practices.
- Maintaining a diverse and inclusive membership comprising adoptees, fostered adults, first families, adoptive and foster families, educators, professionals and all who are invested in adoption disclosure and reform.
Through these efforts, ASK strives to be a leading voice for truth, connection and reform within the Canadian adoption landscape.
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