After a long-term downward trend, adoption numbers are rising, particularly for children who are already known to their adoptive parents, according to this report.

Attempting to keep and reunite children with even highly dysfunctional parents at almost all costs has swung the pendulum of child protection systems too far in favour of defending parental rights at the expense of protecting children’s rights and best interests.

The major recommendation of this report is that there should be a new Adoption Act in Victoria.

Summary Adoption numbers continued to decline In 2015–16, 278 adoptions were recorded as finalised. This is the lowest annual number of adoptions on record, and is a fall of 5% from the 292 adoptions in 2014–15, and of 74% from the 1,052 adoptions 25 years...

Overview The Forced Adoption Support Services Scoping Study identified a need for support service providers to establish or contribute to local networks to enhance collaboration, referrals and support for people affected by forced adoptions. The Department of Social Services (DSS) contracted the Australian Institute of...

SNAICC and many of its members have been watching with concern as, around the country, a range of processes are undertaken to progress longer-term care arrangements for children. They vary in detail but have been broadly described as permanency planning measures. Some of these proposals...

Adoptions Australia 2014–15, the 25th report in the series, presents the latest data on adoptions of Australian children and children from overseas, and highlights important trends in the number of adoptions back to 1990–91. Summary Adoption numbers continued to decline In 2014–15, 292 adoptions were...

Torres Strait Islander traditional adoption has been the subject of political and legal debate for decades. While the law has given consideration and limited recognition to Torres Strait Islander adoption, the case of Eatts v Gundy (‘Eatts’) in Queensland raises once more the unresolved conflict...

Presents the latest data on adoptions of Australian children and children from overseas, and highlights important trends in the number of adoptions back to 1989–90. Summary Adoption numbers remained low The 317 adoptions considered to have been finalised in 2013-14 are the lowest annual number...

Under the current NSW Child Protection legislative reforms, there is increased emphasis on permanency arrangements including adoption and long-term guardianship orders. This paper provides an overview of the development of post-adoption support services in the US and UK; outlines research on the benefits of post-adoption...