General Children's Adoption Program
The General Children's Adoption Program information booklet provides information for couples seeking to be assessed as suitable adoptive parents for a child in Queensland.
The adoption process occurs in several stages:
- initial enquiry
- lodgement of an expression of interest (EOI)
- establishment of eligibility
- education
- assessment
- determination of suitability
- the making of Adoption Orders
- after placement.
Legislative information
The Adoption of Children Act 1964 prescribes that certain information is to be given to each person who expresses interest in being assessed as a prospective adoptive parent. Our department is required to provide prospective adoptive parents with information about the:
- estimated number and characteristics of children needing adoptive placements
- assessment and selection processes for adoption
- fees associated with the assessment process.
Eligibility criteria
Couples expressing interest in being assessed as prospective adoptive parents for a child in Queensland must meet eligibility criteria specified in Section 7A of the Adoption of Children Regulation 1999 (the Regulation).
For couples to be eligible to have their names entered in the General Children's Adoption EOI register they must:
- be resident or domiciled in Queensland
- be an Australian citizen, or at least one of them must be an Australian citizen
- not suffer from a physical or mental condition, or have a physical or mental disability, to an extent that they could not provide a high level of stable, long term care for a child
- have been married for at least two years
- not have more than one child in the custody of either partner or both partners (this differs from the Intercountry Adoption EOI register requirements which allow a maximum of four children in the custody of either partner or both partners)
- be infertile (please note this is only a requirement of the General Children's Adoption Program).
Amendments to the Regulation made in 2004 have removed the upper age limit of people seeking to be assessed as prospective adoptive parents. However, the Adoption of Children Act 1964 (the Act) prescribes, with respect to age of adopters, that the Director- General shall not make an adoption order in favour of prospective adopters, either of whom:
- has not attained the age of 21 years
- being male, is less than 18 years older than the child concerned
- being female, is less than 16 years older than the child concerned.
Infertility
It is an eligibility requirement for the General Children's Adoption Program that at least one partner in a couple is infertile. The Regulation defines infertile for a woman, as:
- an inability, for a reason beyond her control, to conceive
- having a genetically transmitted disorder giving rise to a significant risk that, if she had a child, the child would not survive or the child's health would be seriously impaired
- having a condition giving rise to a significant risk that, if she fell pregnant, the child would not be carried until the child could be delivered alive
- having a condition giving rise to a significant risk that, if she fell pregnant, she would not survive or her health would be seriously impaired
The Regulation defines infertile for a man, as:
- an inability, for a reason beyond his control, to cause a woman to conceive
- having a genetically transmitted disorder giving rise to a significant risk that, if he fathered a child, the child would not survive or the child's health would be seriously impaired.
Lodging an EOI
Couples seeking to express interest in being assessed as prospective adoptive parents for a child in Queensland must complete the EOI General Children's Program form and forward it with the application fee to Adoption Services Queensland (ASQ) before the EOI closing date.
The closing date for the current EOI is close of business Friday 30 October 2009.
Forms and fees can be posted or lodged in person at ASQ.
If a couple's form and fee is received after the EOI closing date, they cannot be registered.
Fees
- Expression of interest fee - $60.00
- Assessment fee - $487.30
There are no fees associated with attendance at information or education sessions or the preparation of documents.
The fees are prescribed by the Adoption of Children Regulation 1999 and are subject to change. Further information is available in the adoption fee changes information sheet.
Further information
For further information about adopting a child from Queensland, contact our Adoption Services Queensland Unit.
- Last updated
- 31 October 2007
