Can you adopt from Australia??

[jaydensmum]

I know this is probably a stupid question but i was just wondering can you adopt from Australia?? I've read so much about adopting from OS and wondering if you can adopt from here. Where do you go to find out that information?

[Baby Girl]

I googled "adoption in australia" and it brought up heaps of sites - so it must happen :thumbsup:

[xkwzit]

You can adopt children here, but I believe that only a very small number of babies are relinquished each year. I thought I heard something like only 10 babies per year. (this probably doesn't include older or special need children though).

Cheers

[SpecialMumma]

of course you can adopt from aus. it happens alot more then ya think. There are even foster carers who just take in "pre adoption children/babies".

Ya notice O.S adoption more because of the nationality etc and looks differences.

Just think.. when your walking down the street.. half the kids you see could have been adopted.. :)

[jessgray]

DHS and DOCS whatever its called in ur state has an adoption section that you can talk to you :)

[SpecialMumma]

I actually did a few bits and pieces of work for DOCS, and my ex'as mother was the head of the whole area.. and yes.. it is as common as I think.

I know its not ALOT, but its alot more then most think. :)

[SpecialMumma]

And when a child is put into care, the parents DON'T get asked if they want to put the child up for adoption, because thats not what foster care is all about.

Children who go up for adoption usually go to carers while the adoption is finalised, like newborns etc etc.

[draught]

I actually did a few bits and pieces of work for DOCS, and my ex'as mother was the head of the whole area.. and yes.. it is as common as I think.

I know its not ALOT, but its alot more then most think. :)

unfortunately it is a lot less common than overseas adoption as there just aren't many children who become available in Australia each year for local adoption. Many of us on this forum have looked into it and the advice given by the experts has always been to consider overseas as well as local as the wait for local adoption can be so many years that older parents then face difficulty in satisfying some of the requirements of adoption. The rates I was given by government agencies were in the order of less than 10 a year per state - really not a lot.

[xkwzit]

Here's some recent data on adoption in Australia from the Federal Government. It shows that Australian children placed for adoption were approx 60, compared with 434 international adoptions. I'm assuming that "known" adoptions are ppl adopting step children or similar:


Overseas adoptions up again
The number of adoptions from overseas countries has reached a new high, with 434 intercountry adoptions recorded in 2004-05, compared with 370 in 2003-04, says a new report released today from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The report, Adoptions Australia 2004-05 shows total adoptions recorded in Australia in 2004-05 numbered 585, with the majority of those (74%) being intercountry placement adoptions...

Of the other adoptions in Australia, 15% were 'known' child adoptions and 11% were local placement adoptions.


The complete media release can be found here (http://www.aihw.gov.au/mediacentre/2005/mr20051202.cfm).

[sam's mum]

I believe that as access to abortion became more available, babies for adoption became less available. In Queensland you can't even put your name on the list at the moment. The registers are closed and they have been for quite some time. They were open for a little while last year or the year before, but otherwise, too bad.

[jade21887]

One of my mums friends has been trying to adopt from Australia for about 7 years. Shes now trying to adopt from overseas. They would accept any child that needed adoption - physically/mentally disabled, older children, babies etc, but still didnt get anything.

I think in previous times, teenage pregnancy was frowned upon and abortion wasnt an option, so the mums had to give up their children. We have much more government assistance, plus choice to have a baby or not than we did a while ago. Definately a reason for the declined adoption rates.

[luckytiger]

I found this site I hope it helps:

http://www.adoption.org/adopt/adoption-agencies-australia.php

[kailensmum]

i'm sure i read in the courier mail in the last couple months that the qld register was going to re-open but only till the end of the year...don't quote me on exact details/dates. also one of my nieghbours got accepted on the qld register recently too.

[our little treasures]

I really had no idea how hard it is for youto adopt!!

[Misti98]

To give you an example I have a friend that lives in NZ and they recently adopted a baby girl at 6 wks but they are the only adoption in the ......sorry can't remember if it's the north or south island. But they are the only local adoption in 2years. Plus there where heaps of other applicates on the list before them and they are still on there.


Jacinta

Actually that is not correct. The adoption figures for local adoptions in New Zealand last year were 100 which was more than Australia. Pretty sad actually when the population of New Zealand is so small. New Zealand has a ridiculous system for adoption and it should be changed immediately to ensure more children stay where they should: with their natural parents.

[mum2bubba]

quite sad considering the amount of kids in foster homes and living on the streets. seems deadbeat parents in australia wont officially sign over their kids which leaves them in limbo floating from one foster home to another.
youd think there'd be a time limit on these things.. i know of a wonderful foster mum she has had many many kids come through her care and actually raised 4 or more i think into adulthood from littlies. theres just always that chance they'll be taken away as they're not legally yours to keep. sad reality.

I agree its sad that there are so many dead beat parents right here in Australia, my nieces and nephew are in foster care and go from one place to another every few months, they have no stabiltity, their mother is a druggy they see their father every other weekend but child protection and their grandparents won't let the kids go and stay with their dad yet he has done nothing wrong. So many ppl are willing to adopt from OS which is great but what about our own backyard?

Also my BIL (my niece and nephews father) has to do parenting classes if he is ever to get full custody but their mother gets off Scott free, she doesn't even want the kids coz she also has another daughter (had her when she was 15, shes now 28 or 29) and HER parents raise her while she goes and gets high somewhere.

[Misti98]

Misit I have spent about an hour looking for relvant information for NZ but can't find it. I might be wrong I was only going off what I was told. But I want the informtion to be relayed to me from a govt source (a reputale source)...sorry should have done this this in the first place....will find out more.


These quotes you will not find on the Internet. These figures are from the Department of Social Welfare in New Zealand itself. And these figures relate to stranger adoption only. These figures are from a 'reputable' source as you call it.

[Misti98]

quite sad considering the amount of kids in foster homes and living on the streets. seems deadbeat parents in australia wont officially sign over their kids which leaves them in limbo floating from one foster home to another.

Ouch! Who put you in a position to judge others so harshly???? Fancy having someone come in and judge you for a day or two??? The truth is many of these parents are in the situation they are because they were not parented effectively and the cycle has continued. Yes, this information is from someone who works in that area. They will never learn to parent either if the rest of society judges them and just removes their child willy nilly (which happens more often than you think)

What needs to happen is a more community spirit to rally around these parents and give them the skills and assistance they so obviously need. Instead, we take their children condemning their lives to more serious mental health implications and put their kids in a cycle that shuffles them in and out of care. If people got off their bums and actually helped these people, the children would be better off as both parent and child would benefit.

No, this is not an idealistic way of thinking, it is a method that has been used in various cultures throughout the world and used to be a way of the western world once upon a time when the world wasn't all about me, me, me as it is today.

[Misti98]

I believe that as access to abortion became more available, babies for adoption became less available. In Queensland you can't even put your name on the list at the moment. The registers are closed and they have been for quite some time. They were open for a little while last year or the year before, but otherwise, too bad.

Hi Sam's mum...

Alot of people think that the reason for adoption figures decreasing is becasue of abortion etc but thats not it. Adoption is a touchy subject and I know this answer will be unpopular but it has to be said.

Adoption figures have decreased because babies are not stolen as they were from the 50's to the mid 70's. There is this belief out there that women were not able to keep their children becasue of various reasons but the truth is they were drugged, had pillows faced over their tummies so they couldn't see their babies being born and then their babies were taken away. Some mothers were falsely imprisoned for 'moral indangerment' and forced to work in laundries just as in Ireland. Others had their babies just removed at birth and never seen again. Some were even told their babies had died only to find out years later their child was not dead but only swapped with the dead baby of a married woman. These were called 'rapid adoptions'. Yes, this all happened in Australia and no, this isn't to do with the Aboroginal stolen generation.

There is a documentary coming out about this in November on SBS.

***off topic text removed***

Misti

[Misti98]

You're obviously living here now, according to your profile anyway....... Good on you for trying to change what is wrong. The importance at the end of the day is the welfare of the children.

From 'here' I gather you mean Oz? Yes, I am in Australia now but keep in contact regularly with those over the ditch. Thank goodness for email and telephones! Yes, it is the best interests and welfare I am concerned about ***offtopic text removed***.

Thanks.

Misti

[Misti98]

I just wanted to say something about the people saying that deadbeat parents shoudl just sign thier kids over..
I think thats a very big ask.
I mean alot of these people hope that one day they will get their act together and get their kids back.
Also sometimes its a little harsh for the kids..no matter how "deadbeat" your parents are they are your parents and to have them " give you up" is one hard thing to cope with...

I think foster care is better in these circumstances. they are looked after and the parents have a chance to get their kids back.

Sorry I know thats off topic...hoep I have not offended anyone.

No, you haven't offended anyone, I know what you are saying hence why the foster care system exists. I know it isn't necessarily a good one but it can be improved only where the community pitches in and helps. In Australia we have a lot of people whinging about it but not enough prepared to do anything about it.

I agree with foster care and am hoping to foster kids soon :)

Misti

[xkwzit]

Hi All
I have been through and deleted some off topic text / posts. This thread is not about whether adoption is right, but about the frequency / possibility of adopting Australian children. You are welcome to open a new thread to discuss the issues related to adoption, but do not take this one offtrack.

Any further off topic posts will attract infractions.

Cheers

[kailensmum]

I posted on this a while ago saying my neighbours were waiting as they had been approved for adoption......7 years....and thier little package arrives next week!! Yeah!!!
I know that in QLD it's quite tight, you must prove that you're unable to have kids, and other govt red tape. I do agree with the govt that it should be for parents who are unable to concieve( for whatever reson that may be), as this is a LAST RESORT OPTION and as we are all aware there are fewer and fewer bubs being put up for adoption. This is thier only hope of having a child and i don't think they should have to compete with those who can caoncieve, because that's really heartbreaking for them.
Has anyone considered Fostering children with Child Safety??? They always need carers and who knows you might just be able to help a little person while the govt aagencies try to help the parents relise and re-educate them as to what is not concieved as a safe parenting habits.

But when you find out that it's really happening (and they don't give the parents much notice either) it's so exciting and you feel so happy for the new parents and you know that a little person is going to have a wonderful life.