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

Migration Health Check

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIC) requires all immigrants, including children entering Australia through Adoption Services Queensland, to meet the requirements of the Migration Health Check. DIC advises that any person who is not an Australian citizen or permanent resident and wants to enter Australia must meet the health requirement.

The Migration Health Check is designed to:

• minimise public health and safety risks to the Australian community
• contain public expenditure on health and community services, including Australian social security benefits, allowances or pensions
• maintain access to health and other community services by Australian residents.

The Migration Health Check involves a medical examination by qualified doctors and radiologists who, in most cases, are nominated by DIC. It also involves having an x-ray and various screenings for HIV or AIDS and hepatitis B. The examining doctor may ask for additional tests if necessary.

It is very important that applicants fully accept the health risks involved with overseas adoption, as there may be some genetic conditions or positive testing that go undetected until after the child comes to Australia.

The results of the Migration Health Check are not routinely requested by Adoption Services Queensland. Notification is received about the outcome of the child's immigration medical. However, the results can be requested if a 'Health Undertaking' is requested by DIC.

A 'Health Undertaking' may be necessary if a child has a medical condition which requires further follow up or investigation, for example, suspected tuberculosis or hepatitis.

Prospective adoptive parents will be required to sign the Health Undertaking and report the child to the state health authority to which they are referred to, for further testing. The child will undergo any required course of treatment, chest x-ray examination or investigation upon returning to Australia.

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Last updated

19 October 2007