[79nic]

A few people have said they'd like to discuss this, so here goes.

First, a little info. Australia, like the U.S. and Canada, is split up into states and territories. Thus, each state may vary slightly in how they do things. However, in general the process is very much the same in each province.

For that reason, I'm going to use South Australia as an example for the whole Australian system, with the disclaimer that things may vary a bit from state to state.


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Domestic adoptions in Australia (meaning, Australians adopting Australian children) all must go through the state's system, whether it's a newborn voluntarily relinquished or a waiting child who has been removed from his or her family.

This is from South Australia's Adoption and Family Information Services website (http://www.adoptions.sa.gov.au/):

All adoptions of children by residents of South Australia are conducted through the Adoption and Family Information Service (AFIS) of the Department for Families and Communities. This is the State government department that is responsible for health, welfare and public housing in South Australia. AFIS administers the Adoption Act, 1988 and is responsible to the Minister for Families and Communities.

In other words, there are no private adoptions, and no private adoption agencies.

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Also, Australia supports open records for bio parents AND adoptees. They recently passed a law that stated that adoptees have the right to ALL their identifying info when they turn 18. Period. Birthparents literally do not have the right to say, "I don't want the adoptee to get my identifying info." Australia views it as an adoptee's human right to have that info.

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Finally, because adoptions in Australia go through the state agencies, there is a minimal exchange of money for an Australian domestic adoption. The government funds the AFIS agencies (the equivalent of our DCFS agencies), so there is no need for adoptive parents to pay hefty fees for an adoption.

The fee structure and schedule for South Australian domestic adoptions for people applying for the first time (fees are reduced for second time applicants) is as follows:

For the Adoption of Australian Born Children


When Lodging
Expression of Interest: $379

Upon Application: $500

Assessment Fee: $500

Upon Placement: $250


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Now, some people might wonder what the process looks like for a bio parent who relinquishes their rights in Australia. You can find more info on their website (I posted the link above), but here are the basics:

A bio parent MUST complete counseling before relinquishing a child. There is no "opting out" of counseling.

Parenting is explored fully with the bio parents. The agency gives the parents info on all the resources available to them, to help parent.

If the bio parents still decide to relinquish their rights, then they can do so, but not until 14 days after the child is born.

Once consents are signed, the bio parents have a 25 day revocation period in which they can reclaim their child for any reason. They can also petition the court to extend this period, and the court will usually allow it. During this time, the bio parents continue to receive counseling, and the baby goes into interim foster care.

When the bio parents' rights have finally expired, the agency begins discussing which aparents the bio parents want to select. The bio parents are allowed input into which family they want their child to go to, but there is no discussion of specific families until rights are already relinquished.

Open adoptions are pefectly ok under the South Australia system.


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I hope that clears some things up for people who were wondering more about the system.

As an FYI.... here are the stats on how many children are voluntarily relinquished for adoption each year, under this system. From the website:

Since 1996, there have been 3 - 6 children under the age of 12 months placed for adoption each year. No older children have been placed recently. Parents have many alternatives to adoption when they are making decisions about the future of their child. The number of children placed for adoption has decreased since the 1970's for a variety of reasons, some of which are:

* There is greater income support for single parents, and more resources in the community to help families (single and two parent) to stay together
* There is greater community acceptance of different kinds of families, including sole parent families
* World-wide research and experience has shown that it is often in a child's best interests to remain within his or her own family or in extended families where this is possible
* There are easily accessible forms of contraception that are available and abortion is a choice for some people, leading to a decrease in unplanned and unwanted pregnancies

The number of people who wish to be considered as prospective adoptive parents outweighs the number of children who require adoption as a way of permanently and legally joining a family.

Nicole

[FL_GirlByProxy]

Hi Nicole! Thank you for posting the link, and the info as well.

I like so much about this system, I don't know where to start. It's as if there are a couple of things from when I went through my birthson's adoption in there, and in addition, so much more positive and supportive steps that I did not experience. My experience was 20 years ago.

In my experience, I could not sign adoption papers at the hospital. I don't know how long I had to wait, but I did wait many weeks. Jim was 7 weeks old when he went to his adoptive family. BTW, he had an excellent foster mom, and I hope to meet her one day, I never have. Anyway, I like the fact that I could not sign right away. And they have included counseling, including the exploration of parenting. That's just awesome, IMO.

I could not do open adoption, missed it with CC by about a year. Then they started doing them. Nonetheless, Jim's parents are the cream of the crop, IMO. But I like the idea of that option being there.

I am going to explore the link tomorrow (I need some sleep!). Thank you for posting this!

[79nic]

Right LeeAnn...... lots of good stuff. Including an emphasis on the fact that the bio dad has as much right to parent as the bio mom. It's a far cry from the dismissive language used about bio dads on some (cough, cough) agencies' websites, huh???

There are so many wonderful things about it I barely know where to start, but one of the key elements is that no one's salary depends on whether infants are placed or not. The workers at the AFIS will have their jobs regardless of infant placements, because their salaries are not paid by the aparents. Thus, there's little reason for the social workers to push people to place....... and it says something, IMO, that only 3-6 relinquishments happen per year there. Maybe it's because the sytem is better at informing bio parents of their resources, and emphasizing that it's ok to be a single parent. ???


I'd LOVE to see this happen in the U.S.

[Ragnarok]

Out of curiosity, what happens to the child during the 25 day revocation period?

[79nic]

Interim foster care, Brad.

[Ragnarok]

Hmm. Maybe I am weird, but I really do not like that. I understand that it makes it fair and equitable and, in the event of revocation, easier on birth and adoptive parents, but I think a baby should be with its mother (whoever that might be).

[FL_GirlByProxy]

I'd LOVE to see this happen in the U.S.

Me too! Seems so much more compassionate all around.

[79nic]

Well, interim foster care, or the bio parents can take the baby home with them.

Had to double check that to make sure before posting it.

But here's the info:

What about after hospital? - taking your child home, or placing him or her in foster care

You may decide to take your child home before signing any adoption papers, or alternatively you can ask the Adoption and Family Information Service to arrange immediate foster care straight from the hospital.


What is the process for foster care?

If foster care has been decided on, when your child is ready to leave, he or she is placed in short term foster care. This is with foster parents who are approved by the Department for Families and Communities and who are skilled in caring for children whose parent(s) are considering adoption.

The Adoption and Family Information Service social worker arranges foster care when the hospital notifies the Department for Families and Communities that the child is ready to leave. Placement is arranged with the written request of the parent(s).


Are there other options for short-term care?

It is possible to make other short term care arrangements. It is important to discuss these with the Adoption and Family Information Service social worker.


When will my child be placed with adoptive parents?

A child will not be placed with adoptive parents until after the consent forms have been signed and the time for cancellation of consent (25 days) has expired. After the consent is valid it is believed that a child should join their permanent family as soon as possible. Sometimes there are delays as particular details are sorted out.

[79nic]

Ooops, cross posted with you, Brad.

I think a lot of people don't like the idea of foster care for their kids. I certainly didn't, and I was adamant about only choosing a family who would accept a direct placement straight from the hospital.

But then things didn't work out that way, and I didn't have a family picked out when I gave birth.

So, Marie went to a very wonderful foster family for a few weeks, while I chose a family and the details of the placement were worked out.

And she is none the worse for the wear.

[FL_GirlByProxy]

Hi Brad! You wrote;

Hmm. Maybe I am weird, but I really do not like that. I understand that it makes it fair and equitable and, in the event of revocation, easier on birth and adoptive parents, but I think a baby should be with its mother (whoever that might be).

Just my 2 cents here, but I think this has a couple of distinct purposes. Foster care for the revocation period is harbouring on the side of caution in order that the birthmother does not feel pressured in that her birthchild is already with adoptive parents who are attached. If she decides that she made a mistake, she would feel more free to say so, IMO. Also, for adoptive parents, they do not suffer the pain of having a child placed in their arms, only to be taken away.

I know that the most important person in all of this is the child. I just think, doing it this way, is best for the child, because the mother is more apt to make a clear, pressure-free decision.

My birthson was in foster care, and I was not thrilled about it at all. But the way CC operated at the time, he was in foster care until I signed the papers. And luckily for me, this foster mom was very good. She found a medical problem with his pallet that the doctor had missed on his newborn exam. She was a former nurse. And, she had met Jim's mom, and told her that if they hadn't adopted Jim, she and her husband would have in a heartbeat.

I wonder how often the mom gets to visit while the baby is in foster care?

[Ragnarok]

As I stated FL_Girl, I understand the reasoning. All I am saying is that I personally would not have wanted to do it that way. I am with Shell on this one, choices are good. It sounds like an awesome system, if it is possible for other options to be discussed, as per:

Originally Posted by 79nic

Are there other options for short-term care?

It is possible to make other short term care arrangements. It is important to discuss these with the Adoption and Family Information Service social worker.

[FL_GirlByProxy]

Yes, it sure is great to have the other options, instead of foster care. I do realize you understood it, just needed to outline it for my own purposes. Sorry about that. I can be very wordy, i.e. what you say in a nice short paragraph, I go on and on about, and I realize it was repetitive. You did totally understand the reasons for it. Sorry.

[FL_GirlByProxy]

This is a super thread. Thanks for starting it, Nic. I'm hitting the hay. I was on the forum past 3 a.m. last night, and now it's 1 a.m. and I've got to catch up on my sleep! See you on the forum tomorrow!

[sugarbabysmommy]

How do you feel about not having the final say in the family that is chosen? According to the info on the site parents can have input, but the final say is given by the Manager.

[79nic]

sugarbaby,

That is no different from the American system.

I chose Marie's parents, but if, after relinquishing my rights, the agency decided D and Y weren't suitable to be her parents, it wouldn't have mattered that I chose them--the agency could have placed her elsewhere.