Adopting a child born overseas
Intercountry adoption can provide permanent legal families in Queensland for children from overseas countries for whom an adoptive family cannot be found in their country of origin.
In 2008-09, we anticipate that at least 100 prospective adoptive parents will be assessed in order to meet the diverse requirements of children born overseas.
- How is intercountry adoption governed?
- Children's placement needs
- Special needs
- Characteristics of prospective adoptive parents
How is intercountry adoption governed?
Australia is a signatory to the Hague Convention on the protection of children in respect of intercountry adoption and has established programs with other countries participating in Hague to enable Australian families to adopt children from overseas.
Australia also has programs with some countries that have not agreed to the Hague Convention. These are managed through bilateral agreements to ensure the principles of the Hague Convention are followed.
Each Australian state and territory acts as the agency or central authority on behalf of Australia in relation to specific intercountry adoption programs. Each state has its own legislation that gives authority to arrange adoptions with other countries and have access to all available overseas programs where there is agreement with Australia.
There are currently adoption programs with 14 countries including: Chile, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Lithuania, Mexico, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Some countries have no limit to the number of files sent by Australian agencies, while others limit the quota of files that can be sent. This quota is divided across Australia's states and territories.
Our department is responsible for managing the Intercountry Adoption Program in Queensland.
Children's placement needs
The majority of overseas children who are placed with Queensland adoptive parents under the Intercountry Adoption Program are between six months and five years of age.
Overseas adoption authorities determine the placement needs of children requiring an adoptive family. Each overseas adoption authority works with its own guidelines for placing a child for overseas adoption - for example:
- Some countries seek adoptive families for children with special needs, although many of these children may not meet the Australian Government's immigration requirements.
- China has advised that adoptive families are needed only for children under two years and over six years of age.
- The common ages of Korean children requiring overseas adoptive families are between six and 12 months of age.
- Chile, Hong Kong, Lithuania and Mexico may seek adoptive families for children over three or four years of age.
- India and Sri Lanka seek adoptive families of Indian and Sri Lankan descent respectively. Children requiring families in these countries range from under two years through to five years of age and sometimes older. Most young children are able to be placed within their own country.
- Philippines and Thailand may seek adoptive families for children two years of age and older.
- Ethiopia may seek adoptive families for children from six months to seven years of age or older, if one of a sibling group which includes younger children
- Taiwan may seek adoptive families for children under two years of age, with children usually being under 12 months of age at the time of placement. The special needs program requires families for older children.
For further information about the individual overseas country adoption program requirements for prospective adoptive parents, refer to Overseas country information.
Special needs
Many of the children requiring adoptive placements have a range of medical needs and complex family and social backgrounds.
The information available to the overseas authority when a placement is identified varies greatly between countries and each child's circumstances.
Children being placed with overseas families may have experienced medical issues such as:
- prematurity
- low birth weight
- malnutrition
- Hepatitis C
- minor medical conditions
- minor physical disabilities
- a history of psychiatric illness in the birth family
- extensive drug or alcohol use during pregnancy
Complexities with social, cultural and family histories, including highly sensitive circumstances surrounding the child's conception or the child's extended birth family may have some impact on them and their adoptive family.
Many of the children requiring adoptive placements have been abandoned by their birth parents.
Characteristics of prospective adoptive parents
Overseas countries are looking for a wide range of couples with diverse characteristics and backgrounds to express interest in being assessed as prospective adoptive parents.
This ensures that the varied range of children's support needs can be appropriately met when making placement decisions.
Further information
For further information about the adoption process for children born overseas, refer to the Intercountry Adoption Program or contact Adoption Services Queensland.
- Last updated
- 24 September 2008