Government Officials To Meet For Changes in Adoption Laws

State and federal ministers are set to meet tomorrow to discuss some changes in the adoption law during what will be promoted as National Adoption Awareness Week.

Assistant Social Services Minister Zed Seselja said that records show the heartbreaking data that only 209 children out of around 40,000 or just half a percent of Australian children who have no permanent home and are with foster care or institutions, were given new families from 2014 to 2015.

“Changing the process to get more permanency must be a priority for all levels of government.

“Evidence shows overwhelmingly that a sense of security, stability, and continuity in childhood means a child will be in better off as they enter adulthood,” he said.

The advocacy group Adoptchange argues the adoption process is “lengthy and overly-involved” which can take years from the time a family decides to adopt to the finalisation of the adoption.

“Often potential adoptive parents are already the long-term carers of the children that they wish to adopt.

“Complicated court processes for children who are in foster care are an additional barrier to adoption for foster carers.

“With the practise of adoption decreasing consistently in Australia for the last 30 years, there is also a decline in skilled practitioners in this area.

“This is exacerbated by the negative perceptions of adoption which stem from past practises of forced adoption and rights of birth parents. Modern, open adoption practises receive little attention in tertiary curriculums for social workers,” the group said.

Although adoption laws are under the jurisdiction of the states, this week, the Federal Government will see if there is support for a national approach.

Senator Seselja and state community services ministers will discuss ‘issues of permanency planning’. “Far too many children go through too many placements in out-of-home care with no stability and permanency is never a reality. These children are at significant risk of poor long term outcomes,” he said.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that in October, it was found that young people who were part of the care and protection system were 14 times more likely to also be a part of the youth justice system. “This is not acceptable and it shows that we are failing our children,” Senator Seselja said.

Source: Dailytelegraph.com.au