The approximate cost for local adoptions in NSW can exceed $3,000. This amount includes both departmental and legal fees. Non-government organisations (NGOs) that offer local adoption services in NSW set their own fees. You will need to check the costs with each organisation.
Barriers to adoption in Australia
More importantly, it takes too long for many of the children in care who could benefit from adoption. Often potential adoptive parents are already the long-term carers of the children that they wish to adopt, and yet in many cases adoption is near impossible.
The process of adoption is very involved and can take approximately two years or more from the time a family decides to adopt, to the time when an adoption is finalised.
Although Australia no longer has orphanages, some other wealthy nations do. Even in these well-resourced institutions, the same problems exist. The lack of someone who loves and is committed to a child makes them vulnerable to exploitation.
The older a child is, the more difficult it is for them to be adopted. The average age of a child in foster care is 7.7 years. While babies are often adopted very quickly, the adoption rates of children over 8 decrease significantly. When a child reaches their teens, the rate drops even more.
It is only the more serious offences, such as offences against children, vulnerable adults, violent offences, murder or serious fraud that would legally bar you from adopting. We understand that many people make mistakes, particularly in their youth, and so may have some 'history'.
The adoption process establishes a permanent, legal parent–child relationship between a child and their adoptive parent(s). There were 264 finalised adoptions in Australia in 2020–21 – comprising 42 intercountry adoptions and 222 Australian child adoptions.
The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) provides an allowance to help children who are adopted from out-of-home care. The allowance aims to support children who would benefit from adoption and assist adoptive families who might require financial support to meet the child's needs.
Age limits
There is no age limit to apply to adopt, but you should be fit and healthy enough to care for a child through to adulthood. For intercountry adoption, the overseas country programs set their own requirements relating to the age of applicants.
Adopters need to be over 21 but there is no upper age limit. Agencies will expect you to have the health and vitality to see your children through to an age of independence.
Is it hard to adopt a child in Australia? Adoption in Australia is a lengthy and difficult process. Adopting a child takes years from the time a family decides to adopt, to the time when an adoption is finalised.
There are a few ways you can adopt a new born baby, including: Adopting directly through a local authority or an adoption agency where a pregnant or new mother has decided to give the child up for adoption.
This could be due to many reasons, such as a lack of resources, a lack of information, or an inability to meet the high costs that the special needs of the child require.
Current adoption practices in Australia
There are three types of adoption currently operating in Australia: Intercountry adoptions are of children from other countries who are usually unknown to the adoptive parent(s). Since 1999-2000, most adoptions in Australia have been intercountry adoptions.
A main reason for parents, with low income, to give their children up for adoption is that they hope their children can receive enough food, a home, education and find themselves in better living conditions. Other reasons for children to be given up for adoption are not always optional for the parents.
(1) No person except the father or mother or the guardian of a child shall have the capacity to give the child in adoption.
Can I adopt if I don't have a spare bedroom? Yes, you can. Ideally you would have a spare bedroom for an adopted child. This is particularly important when adopting a slightly older child as relationships with existing children in the family can take time to settle down.
Kids who are not adopted often get passed between many foster and group homes until they age out at age 18-21. Kids with disabilities, including learning disabilities, are twice as likely to age out of the system. Once they have aged out, many of these young vulnerable adults face life alone.
It's also becoming increasingly common for people to adopt later in life, often past the age of 40 or even 50. If you're thinking about adopting a child later in life…
In this case, if you were to ask how many children go without getting adopted, the answer may surprise you. Although it is difficult to quantify, roughly 20,000 children “age out” of foster care each year. This means they are now legally adults without ever finding a family through adoption.