Thursday 17 December 2015

There were no local adoptions in the ACT, in 2014-15, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) today. It again raises questions about the adoption processes locally, Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services Nicole Lawder said today.

“The AIHW’s Adoptions Australia 2014–15 report recorded no local adoptions in the ACT. This is in stark contrast to Victoria which had 24 local adoptions and Queensland which had 10,” Ms Lawder said.

“There are many families in Canberra who are willing and able to adopt a child or children who are in need of loving and stable homes. As Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services, I am concerned that the current ACT adoption process is not giving these families the opportunity to adopt locally.

“The ACT has the equal lowest number of local adoptions in Australia and in September this year I raised concerns in the Legislative Assembly and was assured by the government that all was well with the process. The report released today demonstrates otherwise.

“There are Canberrans who want to adopt, but the process needs to allow them to. There are children in need of loving homes and this issue should be a priority for the Barr government,” Ms Lawder concluded.

Contact: Joe Prevedello 040276843