Adoption programs
Our department offers two main adoption programs:
Note: Privately arranged adoption, and attempts to arrange a private adoption, are unlawful in Queensland and cannot be recognised under the provisions of adoption legislation in this state.
Other information available on this page includes:
- Adoption information sessions for couples interested in expressing interest in general and intercountry adoption
- How do I participate in these adoption programs?
Adoption of children from Queensland
Children available for adoption in Queensland fall within one of the following programs:
- General Children's Adoption Program - children requiring placement are aged from birth to two years of age
- Relative and Step-parent Adoption Program - the Adoption of Children Act 1964 provides for adoption of children by step-parents or other relatives in some circumstances
- Special Needs Children's Adoption Program - includes children with physical and/or intellectual disabilities, medical conditions, older children, and children from particular cultural backgrounds.
Note: The General and Special Needs adoption programs are designed to secure the best possible families for children in Queensland who require adoptive placements.
Adoption of children born overseas
- Intercountry Adoption Program - provides permanent legal families in Queensland for children from overseas countries for whom an adoptive family cannot be found in their country of origin.
Adoption information sessions for couples interested in expressing interest in general and intercountry adoption
The Expression of Interest register for Intercountry and General adoption in Queensland reopened on 29 October 2007 for a period of two years.
Information sessions will be provided on a quarterly basis by the Department of Child Safety for those persons seeking more information on adoption in Queensland.
The sessions provide information on:
- local adoption including the general children's special needs and relative adoption programs
- intercountry adoption program
- post adoption services including information about the release of identifying information and mailbox exchange program.
The sessions are free of charge and delivered by staff from Adoption Services Queensland. There is a formal presentation of approximately one and half hour duration followed by questions and answers.
The next session scheduled for 2008:
- Date:
- Thursday 5 June 2008
- Time:
- 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm (light refreshments will be available from 6.00 pm – 6.30 pm)
- Venue:
- Auditorium, 111 George Street, Brisbane
Please RSVP your attendance by COB Friday 30 May 2008 and provide name and telephone contact number (in case of change in arrangements) by contacting Adoption Services Queensland as below:
Adoption Services Queensland
- Email:
- ASQ - asq@childsafety.qld.gov.au
- Telephone:
- (07) 3224 7415
- Freecall:
- 1800 647 983 (outside the Brisbane area)
How do I participate in these adoption programs?
Couples may express interest in being assessed as prospective adoptive parents under both the General Children's and the Intercountry adoption programs. Couples must lodge a separate expression of interest (EOI) for each program.
If a couple lodges concurrent EOIs in each program, the couple is encouraged to identify the EOI they would prefer to progress and to concentrate on progressing through that program.
Couples who have concurrent EOIs will be required to postpone the EOI of one program at the time that they are invited to move forward to assessment for the other program. This is to allow the couple to focus on specific issues relevant to parenting a child born in Australia or a child born in an overseas country and enables the assessment process to target the couple's specific capacity and commitment to parent a child requiring a placement under the relevant program.
Further information
For information about adopting a child from Queensland or from overseas, contact our Adoption Services Queensland Unit.
- Last updated
- 1 May 2008