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The Report of the Inquiry into Responses to Historical Forced Adoptions in Victoria (August 2021) contained a recommendation that "the Victoria Government cease the operation of adoption information services within approved agencies and centralise Victoria's Adoption Information Service" (Recommendation 31).
This recommendation has been implemented and Adoption Information Services, within the Department of Justice and Community Safety, is the centralised service to apply for information about adoptions that took place in the state of Victoria.
People can also choose to apply for adoption information through four former adoption agencies: Anglicare, CatholicCare, Child and Family Services Ballarat and Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited. These four organisations have adoption records in their custody (as well as records relating to their past provision of out-of-home care).
If the adoption agency that arranged an adoption has ceased to provide adoption services, people need to apply for records through the Adoption Information Service in the Department of Justice and Community Safety.
People also have the option of receiving support from an organisation such as VANISH.
As of 2022, counselling is no longer required when applying for adoption information.
