Intercountry Adoption Service
Intercountry Adoption provides Adoptive Families for children from overseas. Victoria currently has working relationships with countries in China, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Philippines, Romania, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Taiwan.
The situation regarding availability of children for Intercountry Adoption frequently changes. Working relationships may be developed with new countries. At times events in the overseas countries may result in the non-acceptance of new files for a period, or in a change in the type of children available from their programs.
This information is to be used as a guide only. It is important that interested prospective parents contact the Department of Humans Services' Intercountry Adoption Service (ICAS).
Enquiries
Enquiries can be made to the Duty Officer Monday to Friday between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm to discuss their individual circumstances.
Who Are the Children Needing Families?
The Intercountry Adoption Service places children of varying ages and needs.
 |
 |
Intercountry Adoption Service - DHS |
Cultural Considerations
Adoptive Placements across racial boundaries involve special issues for children and families.
Intercountry Adoption Research and experience indicates that the way Adoptive Parents deal with cultural issues will significantly affect the child’s later adjustment.
It is important that families interested in Intercountry Adoption consider:
- Their views about race and colour to the extent to which they will be comfortable parenting a child of a different race, particularly as the child grows older;
- Their willingness to share any information with the child that relates to the child’s biological background and to actively support the child in seeking further information;
- Their willingness to become bi-cultural, that is, to accept the child’s culture as an everyday part of their lives; and
- Their ability to deal with prejudice they may encounter in the community.
Who Can Apply for Intercountry Adoption?
The criteria outlined in the following text are in Victoria’s policy and legislation. The overseas countries also have eligibility requirements which must be met.
Marital Status
- A couple must be either married or in a genuine defacto relationship for at least 2 years. Requirements regarding marriage vary between countries.
- Only one country Ethiopia, accepts couples in a defacto relationship which must be at least of 2-3 years duration. (as in May 2000)
- A few countries accept single applicants.
- While age requirements were removed from the Adoption Act 1984 in March 1998 there are age restrictions imposed by overseas countries. Generally there must be an age gap of no more than 40 to 50 years between child and parent.
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen
Visas
Visas for the entry of children to Australia will only be issued where the Adoptive Parents have been approved by ICAS and the child has been allocated Adoptive Parents by an approved agency in the child’s country of birth and the placement has been approved by ICAS prior to the Adoptive Parents travelling overseas.
Private Adoption is Illegal
PRIVATE ADOPTION ARRANGEMENTS are illegal under the Adoption Act.
These safeguards were introduced to protect the child’s interest by ensuring the suitability of the Adoptive Parents and minimising the possibility of ‘baby trafficking’, kidnapping of children, and coercion of Birth Families, which have been problems in some overseas countries.
In Victoria, Intercountry adoptions must be arranged through the Intercountry Adoption Service.
The Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs will not issue a Visa unless the adoption has been arranged through the Intercountry Adoption Service.
Additional criteria
For information on additional criteria regarding medical, legal status and other matters please contact the Intercountry Adoption Service.
How to Apply?
Anyone interested in adopting a child from overseas must apply to Intercountry Adoption Service.
The first step is to attend an information night and complete a written expression of interest indicating the age and needs of children you wish to adopt.
Families are then invited to make a formal application depending on the needs of particular countries and the availability of children. Some countries give preference to applicants of a particular ethnic origin or applicants who have previously adopted. Preparation of applicants prior to assessment involves gaining an understanding of the culture of the countries that have a working agreement with Australia.
Following assessment, families are approved to adopt a child of a particular age range from a specified country. The Department of Health and Community Services (H&CS) has a policy of not placing children aged nine years and over unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Your assessment report and other documents are sent to the approved agency in the overseas country. It may take some time for a child to become available for allocation and placement. Once a child has been linked with your family, you are required to travel to the child’s country to collect the child, unless exceptional circumstances exist. This gives you the opportunity to see where the child has lived and to meet the people who have know the child.
Where a child enters Victoria for the purpose of Intercountry Adoption, the Secretary of H&CS becomes the legal guardian. A worker will visit your family to ensure the placement is progressing well and will also prepare progress reports, which are required by the overseas agency. One parent is required to remain at home to care for the child in the first twelve months of placement. There is some flexibility regarding this requirement for children aged over five years.
Once an Adoption Order is granted, the Adoptive Parents become the child’s legal parents.
Further information
Please contact the Intercountry Adoption Service (ICAS) for further information and to register to attend an information night. Enquiries can be made to the duty officer Monday to Friday between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm.
|
|
Intercountry Adoption Service |
Parent Support Groups
The Intercountry Adoptive Parent support groups listed below welcome contact from prospective applicants.
- Australian Society for Intercountry Aid (Children) (ASIAC)
- Fact International Adoption Association
- International Adoptive Parents Association (IAPA)
- Intercountry Adoption Resource Network (Aust) (ICARN)
|
|
Support Groups |
AFAV thanks the Intercountry Adoption Service (ICAS) for information provided for this site.
Content supplied by AFAV. Last modified Tue, 23 Jan 2001. Maintained by TOTLD