The adoption process for birth parents
Information about signing the consent form for adoption, what to do if you change your mind, your child's name before and after adoption, what personal information you can give to your child, and your say in who the adoptive parents are.
Your child’s adoptive family
People who want to adopt a child are thoroughly assessed by a DCJ approved independent assessor and they also receive training and education on adoption. Before people are approved as adopting parents, the adoption agency must be satisfied they have the ability to meet the particular needs of an adopted child.
The adoption worker will discuss with you the kind of family you would like your child to grow up in. You might have some strong feelings about religion, cultural background, or the lifestyle of the adoptive parents.
You may ask to meet your child's adoptive parents and this can be arranged. You may prefer just to be told a bit about the adopting parents and then receive ongoing news about your child's progress at regular intervals.
Your involvement in selecting the adoptive parents
It's important that the family chosen to adopt your child is able to provide for their individual needs.
You need to talk to the adoption worker about your child’s needs, the kind of family you want for your child and about your own family. This will help the worker identify the most suitable adoptive parents.
You can be part of the selection of the adoptive parents by looking at non-identifying ‘profiles’ prepared by adoptive parents that tell you about them, their home and their plans for parenting an adopted child.