Adoptions

We’ve noticed lately that there have been a number of people looking for information about forced adoption.

Information is available on the Find & Connect site here: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/resources/adoptions/. If you or someone in your family experienced forced adoption, we can put you in touch with a support service that can help you locate any existing records. You can email us here: Find-Connect@unimelb.edu.au

Boy offered for adoption in WA’s Sunday Times, 1939

Records – The National Archives of Australia has a Forced Adoptions History Project. You can see a summary the processes for accessing records based on which state or territory you’re in. It’s a good place to find out who can access information, what type of information may be held, and how to access those records.
http://forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au/records

Services – This Commonwealth government webpage has a list of support services and advocacy groups for people affected by adoption. https://www.dss.gov.au/families-and-children/programmes-services/family-relationships/forced-adoption-practices/support-services-for-people-affected-by-past-forced-adoption-policies-and-practices

These support services can help you:

– A national helpline: 1800 21 03 13 (which represents the date of the National Apology for Forced Adoptions) – calls made from a mobile phone may incur additional costs. The helpline is answered locally and available weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm

– Referrals and information based on individual needs
where possible, face to face support, casework, emotional support, records tracing, assistance with family searching and intermediary services, group activities, peer support, and facilitation to therapeutic counselling, and

-Administering small grants to build sector capacity and enhance group healing activities to support people affected by forced adoptions, where appropriate/possible.

From https://www.dss.gov.au/families-and-children/programmes-services/family-relationships/forced-adoption-practices/support-services-for-people-affected-by-past-forced-adoption-policies-and-practices

On the Find & Connect web resource, there is information about institutions (like babies’ homes and maternity hospitals) that were involved in the adoption system in Australia, as well as information about agencies that arranged adoptions. You can find them by searching for ‘Adoption’ and then clicking on ‘Homes’ https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/search/