Need help. Is there anyone in Australia who has adopted a child?

Question

Is there anyone in Australia who has adopted a child from anywhere that can give me information?

I

would like basic step by step instruction of where to start, who to contact to begin application etc and how much it cost for you (maybe a breakdown of how it was spent). Also how long did it take? How old was the child you got etc.

Any help will be GREATLY appreciated as I am sure you realise. Thanks.

Answer 1

I have adopted a child from Ethiopia. When we first considered adoption, we enquired about local adoption (ie Australian - we are from Qld, so we are only eligible for Qld babies) but were told the waiting time would be at least 12 years or more. There are very few local babies available but there have been allocations made to some families inside that time since I made my enquiry.

The waiting time for an international adoption varies but is usually between 2 to 5 years (so much better than 12+ years!) depending on the country you choose and sometimes, the state you live in.

In Qld, the agency we use is the Dept of Child Safety, Intercountry Adoption Unit. This Dept also handles the local adoptions. The register is reopening on 29 October for new expressions of Interest.

In NSW and Vic, adoptions go through the Dept of Community Services. Some of the other states have private agencies, but it is worth enquiring through your state family dept first.

ELIGIBILITY

The elegibility criteria differ for the different countries you may adopt from.

* There are age requirements - differ from country to country and if you are considering local adoption, there is an age limit to consider

* religious requirements for some countries (eg some countries will only accept practising Christian couples while other countries do not have this limitation)

* Single women are allowed to adopt in some states (eg NSW) but you must be married in other states

* To register an expression of interest in Qld (not sure about other states), there is a fee of about $60. They will send out a package that will have information on countries available to adopt from in Australia and a questionairre to find out more about yourself and your partner.

* If you decide to go ahead with the adoption, you will be required to attend an information seminar and an education seminar. There will be further fees required at different points along your adoption journey and lots of paper work and lots of waiting, but it is all WORTH IT in the end, when you see your baby/child for the first time.

WHO TO CONTACT

I would contact the adoption support group in your state. Most of the larger towns and cities have smaller support groups that you might be able to make contact with  and they will be more than happy to provide information

Qld - contact the Dept of Child Safety (adoptions)

       - in Brisbane [phone]

      

SA and Tas -  http://www.familiesandcommunities.sa.gov...

NSW - www.community.nsw.gov.au/html/adoption/a...

Vic - http://www.office-for-children.vic.gov.a...

WA - http://www.community.wa.gov.au/DCP/Resou...

Our process took about 3 1/2 years from the time we first registered interest to the time we met our daughter (she was 6 months). Some people wait longer, some not so long. Various factors affect time of wait - eg how specific you are in the age/s*x of your child, whether you want a sibling group or a single child, how many files are waiting in your state and the country you decide to adopt from.

BREAKDOWN OF SPENDING

We spent about $15, 000 - including our travel overseas and accommodation and purchase of souvenirs. Travel cost about $6 000 (include the cost of the return ticket for your child/ren).

For the actual adoption (and this has changed recently in Qld) our costs (after our initial fee) were:

* $2000  (this fee has increased - I think to about $3500) for assessment by a social worker - series of interviews that assess your capability of parenting an adopted child (be prepared for some hairy questions!). It also pays to do a lot of research into the country you decide to adopt from and how adoption affects your child (many good books - if looking at international adoption, a book I recommend reading is called 'The Colour of Difference' - adoption stories told from the point of view of Australian adoptees adopted from non-white backgrounds).

* $3000 which is paid to our power of attorney in Ethiopia (also increased) who represents us to the Ethiopian govt and does all the leg-work for us there (ie court appearances on our behalf, matching our profile with a child, medical testing, organising visa, birth certificate, etc)

*$1500 after accepting our allocation for the ongoing day-to-day care and medical fees associated with our child from the time we accept allocation to the time we meet our child

* other fees include paying for medicals for ourselves, police checks, financial checks, documents to be signed, etc.

* allow at least $1000 for spending money while in-country for souvenirs and travel

* Do go and pick your child up from the country if you are planning on international adoption. It is so worth seeing the birth country of your child, so that you are able to share your experiences with your child as he/she gets older. We wish we had stayed longer and seen more, but we will be going back! Experience as much of the culture as you are able.

NB Other countries will have different breakdowns of the money spent. Get in touch with the support groups listed in the link below for more info on the different countries.

Wish you all the best in your adoption journey. You will hear it often, but the wait is definitely worth it. And, not that I am biased or anything, Ethiopia is the pick of the countries. We loved it and plan to return as soon as we are able.

OTHER COUNTRIES

Some other countries with agreements with Australia include:

*China

*Korea

*Phillipines

*Taiwan

*Thailand

*Mexico

*Columbia

*many others, but they will all be listed when you register your interest.

BTW Local adoption costs are very low compared to Intercountry Adoption, but the wait is usually very long.

Answer 2

I am from aus but have not adopted. This website looks like a good place to start for info. I'm sure that if it doenn't have all the info you want then they will be able to point you in the right direction

http://www.community.gov.au/Internet/MFM...