What is the adoption process in Australia and why don't more children get adopted?

Asking people who want kids why they don't "just adopt" is a common refrain but actual adoption in Australia isn't all that common.

Just 334 adoptions were finalised in 2019-20.

So why don't more adoptions happen and what's really involved in the process?

Why are there so few adoptions in Australia?

There are a few reasons for this and we have to look at the three types of adoption to understand why.

Local adoption is probably what you think of when you hear the word "adoption". This is the adoption of children not known to their adoptive parents.

Known-child adoption means the child is already known to their adoptive parents (think foster carers or relatives).

And then there's intercountry adoption, i.e.the adoption of children from overseas.

Known-child adoptions are rising but the other two are going down.

Intercountry adoption has decreased since the 1990s because of ethical concerns. To give you a sense of how few of these happen, only 37 intercountry adoptions were finalised in 2019-20.

"And local adoption has declined because we live in a different culture now compared to when there was forced adoption," explains Renee Carter, chief executive of Adopt Change.

"There isn't the stigma that used to exist around being a single mother. There aren't as many people choosing to place a child into adoption."

Just 48 local adoptions were completed in 2019-20.

"Meanwhile, a number of states have been introducing legislation so that there's a timeframe of two years for having permanency plans, such as adoption, in place for children in care who can't return home," Ms Carter says.

"So there's been an increase in [known-child adoption because] carers who have had kids in their care for years [have been] formalising that through adoption."

Who can adopt?

The laws and requirements around adoption and who's allowed to adopt vary across Australia and based on adoption type.

If you'd like specific information tailored to your state or territory, check out the relevant government websites below:

Victoria

New South Wales

Australian Capital Territory

Queensland

Northern Territory

Western Australia

Tasmania

South Australia

Generally speaking, a prospective adoptive parent needs to be an adult who is "available and able to provide for the child until they turn 18," says Kay Berry, Barnardos Australia's head of adoptions.

This means they need to be in reasonable health, and must undergo police and working with children checks.

Upper age limits are generally less of a barrier these days; in 2019-20, 44 per cent of local adoptive parents were 40 and over.

"And it's even higher for known-child adoptions, so that is a shift, even looking back a few years ago," Ms Carter says.

But if you're looking at intercountry adoptions, age limits for prospective adoptive parents vary depending on the country you're looking to adopt from.

The acceptance of single adoptive parents depends on the place you're adopting from and on the individual case. This applies to both intercountry adoptions and adoptions from within Australia.

Other important things to think about

Before you begin the actual application process, experts say you should think about your motivation for adopting.

"This comes in all different forms, but a key part should be about helping a child in need because these are very vulnerable children," Ms Berry says.

Another big thing to consider is that Australia now practices open adoption, which means birth family contact is expected throughout children's lives. You'd need to be confident and comfortable with facilitating that.

Any child who comes into your care will have a history, and all children have different needs, though there are obvious differences between bringing a baby home versus an older child.

If you're adopting an infant, the expectation is generally that there will be a full-time carer at home for a certain time period, Ms Carter explains.

"Sometimes it suits prospective parents who need to keep working to have school-aged kids, and we have a huge need for homes for older children," she says.

If you think this could be right for you, Ms Berry says you should also be prepared for the fact that "older children often have more needs".

"Many have been in situations of domestic violence, many have delayed development and require specialist interventions … some children may have NDIS care plans."

And if you want to adopt a child with a different cultural background to you, Ms Berry says you need to be prepared to actively integrate their culture into your daily life.

How hard is it?

"Involved" is the word Ms Berry lands on to describe the adoption application process.

"It can be quite an exposing thing because many people get to hear more about your lives than would normally be shared," she says.

Exactly how "involved" the process is depends on the pathway and adoption type you're considering.

The local and known-child adoption processes generally involve getting in touch with your relevant state department or an accredited adoption agency after doing your research.

Next come the information sessions, assessment and training (if you'd like more information on this, this NSW-specific website outlines this part of the process generally).

"The assessment part includes things like medical interviews and home checks," Ms Carter says.

Then, you wait to be matched. (More on how long this can take below.)

That's followed by placement and post-adoptive/placement support. Finally, the adoption is approved by the court in your jurisdiction.

There are heaps of variables for intercountry adoptions. For a better understanding of this process and the concerns that come with it, start with this official government website.

But generally, people looking to adopt children from overseas must meet the eligibility criteria of the state or territory they live in, as well as that of the partner country, go through a similar assessment and training process and finally be approved by a state or territory central authority, or meet immigration requirements.

How long does it take?

The question of how long it takes is another difficult one to answer beyond "it depends".

But there are some general guides.

The median wait time for intercountry adoption is just under three years.

"And local adoption can take less time," Ms Carter says.

"With known adoptions, often the carer has had that child in their care already, but it still usually takes at least a couple of years [to complete].

"If you put your hand up for foster care, within a year that you start the process and go through authorisation, you can have a child in your home."

"