Can you adopt from Australia??

**jaydensmum** · 23-09-2006 00:06

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** · 23-09-2006 00:50

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

**xkwzit** · 23-09-2006 07:13

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** · 23-09-2006 10:16

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** · 23-09-2006 16:58

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

**SpecialMumma** · 23-09-2006 17:06

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** · 23-09-2006 17:09

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** · 23-09-2006 19:25

Originally Posted by princ3ssah

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** · 23-09-2006 20:22

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.

**sam's mum** · 23-09-2006 21:45

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.