Snapshot on adoption in Australia
Snapshot on adoption in Australia
A new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) provides a snapshot of adoption in Australia in 2003/04.
Adoptions in Australia : Child Welfare Series No. 35 analyses all finalised adoptions in Australia . Each state and territory has full responsibility for adoptions in their jurisdiction, and fund the AIWH to collect and publish national data.
According to the report, there were 502 adoptions of children in Australia in 2003/04, a rise of six per cent from the previous year.
Intercountry adoptions comprised 74 per cent of all adoptions in Australia – an increase of 33 per cent from the previous year. In addition, 14 per cent of adoptions were local and 12 per cent, ‘known’ child adoptions – adoptions made by step parents, relatives and carers.
Almost half of children adopted were under aged under one, and the majority of adoptive parents were aged over 35 years. Most couples who adopted were married and had no other children in their family.
The report also provides data on the number of information applications. In 2003/04 there were 3,407 applications made, 72 per cent of which were made by adopted persons.
To order a copy of Adoptions in Australia , visit the AIHW website at www.aihw.gov.au