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Adoption - Another option for parenting November 2003 Initial Presentation Sophie and Peter have been trying to conceive for the past 2 years. Following investigations they have discovered that Peter has significant sperm problems. They come to see the counsellor to discuss future options, namely pursuing assisted reproductive technology to increase the possibility of conception, exploring adoption or doing nothing to alter their current situation and ultimately accepting the unlikelihood that they would become parents. Sophie and Peter do not feel comfortable with the use of technology in this area of their lives. They find it very difficult to envisage remaining childless. Each has had some exposure to family situations involving non genetic parenting and decide that they would like to explore the possibility of adoption. Counsellor Comment The practice of adoption has undergone considerable change over the past 80 years in SA. In 1966 the law was reformed and from this time secrecy around adoption arrangements became the norm. This coincided with a growing number of adoptions which reached a peak of 467 in SA in 1972. During the 1980's voices advocating for openness and availability of information in adoption arrangements became more insistent. In 1988 the Adoption Act SA was enacted allowing adopted adults, birth parents and relatives of birth parents to receive identifying information about each other if they wished. Other social changes have also impacted upon adoption. The introduction of income support for single parents and improvements in and better access to methods of fertility control have led to a decline in the number of Australian born children being adopted. Since 1966, 4-6 children per year have been placed in SA. At the same time a process for the adoption of children from overseas countries has been established. In 2002, 53 children from 6 overseas countries were adopted into SA families. The Adoption Act 1988 and Regulations 1988 (amended 1997) are administered by the Adoption and Family Information Service, a branch of the Department of Human Services. The Adoption and Family Information Service now also administers and facilitates the process for the adoption of children from overseas. For many infertile people the option of adoption does not present itself immediately as a viable choice unless they have strong feelings of discomfort with assisted reproductive technology or they have had some experience of families with non biological ties. Instead it emerges gradually as a possibility for some when the realities of fertility treatment for them start to become evident. They may start asking the question, What if pregnancy never eventuates? This may then become, Are we doing this to have a pregnancy or to become parents? If the answer is the latter, people may then start to question previously held values that these ties need to be biological to validate a parenting relationship. Partners' feelings and views about these matters do not necessarily coincide and they may need support to accept and negotiate differences. Follow Up Sophie and Peter decide that one way to test their feelings about adoption is to increase their knowledge about this area by gathering information and thinking about the choices adoption poses. They are aware that there is a choice to make about adoption locally or overseas. They are also aware that few children require adoptive families locally and that this may never eventuate. They have heard that intercountry adoption is a costly process that involves long waiting periods. Sophie and Peter understand that there is an assessment process through which they must pass before being approved as potential adoptive parents. Counsellor Comment Adoption legislation and practice are strongly informed by the principle of child's best interests. Applicants need to submit an expression of interest to the Adoptions and Family Information Branch. They are required to indicate their desire to adopt an Australian born or overseas child at that point. Criteria determining eligibility for registration to adopt are: Permanent residency of 3 years. One applicant must be an Australian citizen. No child has been removed from the applicants' care. Neither applicant has been convicted of an offence against a child. If wishing to adopt a child from another country, the applicants must comply with the minimum requirements of the country they have nominated. Age requirements have been removed from SA legislation. Once registered other criteria apply before placement of a child is considered. These are: . The applicant must have been cohabiting in a marriage relationship for a continuous period of 3 or more years. The female applicant cannot be pregnant and a child cannot be allocated to a family where there is already another child who has been in the family for less than 2 years. In the case of Australian born children, the birth parents can be involved in the selection of adoptive parents and they may have specific criteria they wish to apply. If they meet the basic eligibility criteria, couples will be invite to submit a formal application to adopt. This is accompanied by a health declaration and medical report, police checks, an autobiographical summary of each applicant's life, two referees' reports and birth and marriage certificates. The applicants will also be invited to a series of information/discussion sessions. A detailed home study report is prepared by a social worker. The assessment considers emotional maturity, capacity to deal with stress, quality of the couple's relationship, if infertility is an issue, their attitudes to this, material stability, child rearing values and attitudes to adoption and to children's access to information about their origins. In the case of applicants for intercountry adoption, issues relevant to the special challenges of parenting a child from another country are addressed. A decision to approve the applicants for registration as prospective adoptive parents is made within the Adoption and Family Information Service. Approval does not guarantee placement of a child. If the couple have been approved and they are wishing to adopt an Australian born child, their details will then be placed in a pool of prospective adoptive parents. Whilst chronological order of expression of interest is considered when placing a child, if the welfare and interests of the child would be better met by a family that has applied more recently, they will be given preference. If a child is placed with a family the legal process of adoption is finalised at the end of a 12 month period. If the couple have been approved and they wish to adopt a child from another country their file will be forwarded to that country by the Adoption and Family Information Service. This begins a waiting time of unknown duration whilst the application is considered. During this time, the couple will be allocated a support worker and they have the opportunity to attend ongoing education modules. If a family is chosen for a particular child, the legal process for guardianship may take place before the child's departure from that country. Otherwise the child's guardianship is held by the Minister of Immigration until the Court processes the adoption in Australia. The adoptive couple travel to the child's country of origin to meet and accompany the child to Australia. A family support worker maintains contact with the family and prepares four progress reports for both the local and overseas authorities. Costs Vary Greatly Australian born adoption: approximately $1,700 Intercountry adoption: costs depend on the country but can be between $10,000 and $20,000. All costs associated with travel are met by the adoptive couple. References Glazer ES The Long Awaited Stork . Jossey-Bass Inc 1998 Hammer Burns L & Covington S. Infertility Counselling Parthenon Publishing 1999. Dept of Human Services. Adoption Intercountry. Adoption - Australian Born Child. More Information Adoption and Family Information Service  PRINT THIS PAGE
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