Intercountry adoptive parent education

• Module 1 - Introduction
  • What is adoption?
  • Who is involved in the adoption process?
  • The adoption process
  • Adoption Services Queensland
  • Suggested reading
• Module 2 - The needs of overseas children requiring permanent adoptive placements in Queensland
  • Overseas country information
  • Are you suited to intercountry adoption?
  • Motivation to adopt
  • Issues and challenges faced by adoptive parents
  • Placement proposals
  • Building resilience with your adopted child
  • Suggested reading
• Module 3 - Child development
  • Understanding child development
  • Factors that impact on child development
  • A child's understanding of adoption
  • Suggested reading
• Module 4 - Attachment and bonding
  • Attachment theory
  • What is attachment and bonding?
  • Types of attachment
  • Attachment behaviour
  • Signs of healthy attachment and bonding
  • Attachment disorder
  • Impact of attachment on adoptive parenting
  • The arousal-relaxation cycle
  • Developing an attachment with your child
  • Suggested reading
• Module 5 - Separation, grief and loss
  • Definition of loss and grief
  • The impact of loss on adoptive parents
  • The impact of loss on adopted children
  • Effects and strategies for dealing with a child's loss
  • Understanding the impact of loss on an adopted child
  • The impact of loss on birth parents
  • The grief process
  • Suggested reading
• Module 6 - Identity and culture
  • Your feelings about ethnic background and culture
  • The impact of adoption on your family
  • Definition of ethnicity, culture and identity
  • Addressing cultural identity
  • The cultural heritage plan
  • Barriers to developing a child's cultural identity
  • A child's racial awareness
  • Stages of development of racial identity
  • Combating racism
  • Telling your child they are adopted
  • The adoptive family life cycle
  • Suggested reading
• Module 7 - Preparing for assessment
  • Departmental assessment considerations
  • Assessing a couple's suitability
  • Meeting the assessment criteria
  • The assessment process
  • Placement considerations
  • Assessors - their perspective
  • Establishing a family tree and Ecomap
  • Suggested reading
• Module 8 - Placement information
  • Medical assessment of children adopted from overseas
  • Lodging an application with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
  • Migration Health Check
  • Naming your child
  • Travel arrangements
  • Arrival in Australia
  • Queensland Birth Certificate
  • Australian Citizenship
  • Adoptive parent support groups
  • Life Story Book
  • Suggested reading
• Module 9 - General reading
• Family profile
  • My family profile
• Printable version
• Contacts

Lodging an application with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Adoptive parents can purchase a Child migration booklet from the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIC) located at:

The booklet contains forms 40CH and 47CH that need to be completed in order to lodge your application. These forms can also be downloaded free of charge from the DIC website.

Once you have received notification from Adoption Services Queensland, you can lodge your application for immigration sponsorship. The role of the DIC is to act as an agent for the Australian Embassy in the country you are adopting a child from. DIC will accept your application fee and issue two copies of a receipt - the white one is for your records and the pink one is to accompany the application.

The following records must be included with your application of immigration sponsorship:

1. Certified copies of the birth certificates of both applicants
2. Certified copy of the applicant's marriage certificate
3. Certified copies of the passports of both applicants
4. Two original letters from Adoption Services Queensland - one letter to DIC and one letter for the child's placement
5. A pink copy of the DIC's receipt of your application fee.

Note: Adoption Services Queensland is unable to provide advice on completing the immigration application forms - any questions or queries you may have should be directed to a registered migration agent.

Upon completion of your application forms and lodgement of payment, you will need to send your application to the Australian Embassy in the country you are adopting from. DIC can provide you with the correct address details. We suggest that you send your documents by Qantas Express Parcel Service (call 07 3216 2166) or by EMS Courier Service (via Australia Post).

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Last updated

19 October 2007