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Adoptions

Download a printable version of Adoptions (340 KB PDF)

On the Find & Connect web resource, there is information about institutions (like babies’ homes and maternity hospitals) relating to the adoption system in Australia, as well as information about agencies that arranged adoptions. The web resource also has entries about adoption legislation in each jurisdiction.

Adoption Records

If you are looking for adoption records, this page, previously hosted on the National Archives of Australia website, is a good place to start. It has information about accessing adoption records state by state. The National Archives of Australia Forced Adoptions History Project has now come to a close, and the accompanying website has been archived and is no longer being updated. The information on the linked page may become out of date, however it may still serve as a useful starting point.
https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20210603063113/https://forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au/records

Forced Adoption Support Services

The Australian Government Department of Social Services is funding seven organisations to provide coordinated specialist support services across Australia for people affected by forced adoption practices. The Department’s website has a list of these organisations as well as other support services and advocacy groups for people affected by adoption: https://www.dss.gov.au/families-and-children/programmes-services/family-relationships/forced-adoption-practices/support-services-for-people-affected-by-past-forced-adoption-policies-and-practices

To contact a Forced Adoption Support Service in your state or territory call 1800 21 03 13