The Child and Youth Advocate is encouraged by the province’s goals to double adoption rates.

Government says there are about 45 adoptions done every year, it wants that to increase that to 90. It also wants to reduce wait times for adoption.

The province last week increased financial support for foster parents as a first step to reduce the amount of time that kids spend in the arms of the state.

Karen Gray, the acting Advocate, launched a comprehensive review of the system a year ago and is finding that delays in permanent placement of children not only result in significant cost to the province, but demonstrate a failure to recognize the rights of children and youth.

She says while the goal to increase by 100 per cent the number of young people being adopted is ambitious, it can be achieved. The budget included money for four more social workers in that area.