5 Responses to “How do Australian adoption laws/procedures differ from those of America?”

1. Serenity71 on August 24th, 2009 11:27 am
   

   Adoption Feedback: I don’t think your being arrogant by asking about the differences.

   The whole culture towards adoption began to change dramatically in the late 1970’s and early 80’s due to the government looking into the amount of adoptions that were occurring. (Yes they actually questioned it.) An inquest into practices done by hospitals and religious groups shed even more light on unethical practices that had been happening for some time (BSE era.) The thing is change happened because of it. Single parenting became viewed in a different light. Bit by bit the attitude changed. However families take longer to come round to thinking its not shameful to have a single mother in the family.

   A conversation in a hairdressing salon high lighted for me how different the attitude is towards a pregnant teen when the young girl cutting my hair began to talk about her 17yr old friend. The assumption is- She doesn’t want the baby then she’ll abort. She has the baby then she’s expected to raise her child.(Which is what her friend chose to do in the end.) Adoption didn’t even enter the conversation as being an alternative. NOT ONCE. And again (as it does occasionally) when it eventually came up that my little girls are adopted her jaw hit the ground eyes wide in surprise. and the usual “I thought adoption never happened these days.” All the ladies close by leaned in closer and said the same thing. Thats why I rarely say my kids are adopted.(And as they grow if they chose to tell people its up to them. Its their life too.) They don’t need to be stared at like they just grew horns or something.

   Anyway, this website might explain it better.

   So when I came here I got a bit of a shock from some of the things people say about it and the views at times on teen mothers even. Those automatic assumptions floor me. (I’m a christian, I go to church, there a single teen mothers in our church and no one arranges ‘adoptive married parents’ for them if the baby’s being born out of wedlock. If I heard of it happening I’d have lots to say to the Pastor about it. That’s so wrong.

   Your adoption culture is your own, the only ones who can change it is you.
2. Penny A (Vanessa) on August 26th, 2009 5:59 am
   

   Adoption Feedback: As far as I can tell, adoption agencies in the USA are run privately, and are private businesses who operate solely for profit.

   That’s not the case here in Australia, they are controlled by the Government. Nobody profits financially, except the adoptive parents have to pay the appropriate fees to the government agency who handles adoptions.

   That’s how it was 20 years ago not sure if things are different now.
3. Possum on August 28th, 2009 6:15 am
   

   Adoption Feedback: ALL women are encouraged to PARENT – first and foremost.
   No one even talks about adoption until after the baby is born.
   Adoption is a last option – when all other avenues have failed.
   Adoptions are facilitated by the government – no profit making by private agencies.
   Any adoptions that do happen – are mostly ALL open – as it has been proven that openness for the adoptee is the best option.
   Adoptees don’t lose their first family – they gain extra family.

   AND – ALL adoptees are entitled to their original birth certificate and adoption papers once they reach 18. They are also then allowed to do searches through ‘Birth, Deaths & Marraiges’ to find out if their mother’s got married in later life and changed names.

   When all information is open like this – the process is transparent – and less corruption and coercion can happen in the system.

   There is no secrecy.
   Their are no lies.
   Their is openness.
   No women is pressured into relinquishing – just because she’s young or has no money. The government will help her parent – with loads of support – as that is what is best for the child – and for the mother.

   To top it all off – women in NSW actually received an apology from the government for past adoption practices in this state.
   It opened adoptions up for the country to see – and made it an open process with the best interests of the child and the mother as the top priority – as it should be.
4. scat on August 29th, 2009 4:51 pm
   

   Adoption Feedback: If you give up a baby for adoption – its not adopted by the new family for 6months to a year – thats how long the bio mum has to “change her mind” with no ramifications.
5. Cheryl on November 18th, 2009 5:31 pm
   

   • Before the 80’s when adoption laws and attitudes changed, financial assistance for unwed women and separated wives was paid by child welfare (not Social Security) for the first six months of any newborn life in their custody. Venerable woman with adoptable babies that could be obtained for the adoption market by hook or by crook.
   • Today these women who had been deceitfully talked out of keeping their babies want all and any kind of adoption stopped. See; mothers and children separated by forced adoptions.
   • In Brittain many campaign for only the forced adoptions to stop, along with the way social workers and family courts handle removing a child from the parents care.

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