Local adoptions continue to fall while the number of children
adopted from countries outside Australia has remained stable,
according to a report published today by the Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Adoptions Australia 1998-99 shows there were 543
adoptions in 1998-99, 34 fewer than in 1997-98, and far from a peak
of nearly 10,000 in 1971-72.
Of the 543 adoptions, 299 were for locally-born children and 244
were for overseas-born children.
Of the 299 locally-born children, 172 were 'known child'
adoptions (adopted by relatives or guardians). The other 127
children went to adoptive parents with no previous contact or
relationship with the child ('placement' adoptions).
All 244 overseas-born adoptions were 'placement' adoptions.
These adoptions include children adopted under the 1998 Hague
Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of
Intercountry Adoption. The Convention establishes uniform adoption
procedures among its 24 signatory countries, and safeguards
children's best interests.
Co-author of the report, Susan Kelly, said that the Convention
would help Australians who wanted to adopt children from other
countries.
'It is now possible for adoption orders to be finalised in the
country of origin and recognised in Australia, which will
streamline administrative processes.'
Ms Kelly said that the Convention, in addition to a bilateral
adoption agreement with China, would likely lead to an increase in
the number of Australian adoptions of overseas-born children.
According to the report, the number of overseas-born adopted
children has remained at around 250 for the last seven years. For
the years 1991-92 to 1998-99, most of the adopted children have
come from Korea (608), India (225), Thailand (208), the Philippines
(168) and Colombia (166).
There were 5,430 applications for information about past
adoptions in 1998-99 (a 26% increase on the previous year). Of
these, 67% were made by the adopted person, 19% by the birth
parents, 4% by other birth relatives, 3% by adoptive parents, and
2% by a child of the adopted person.
New data for 1998-99 shows that most adoptive mothers (77%) were
aged over 35 years, while 53% of adoptive fathers were aged 40
years and over. Almost all (98%) adoptive parents were married and
most (59%) had no other children in the family.
3 March 2000
Further information: Susan Kelly, tel. 02 6244
1182.
For media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.