want to adopt?
DoCS provides a range a programs for people interested in adopting:
- an intercountry adoption program, where we deal with registered international agencies
- a local adoption and permanent care program for children under two and children over two
- a local adoption program for children with special needs
- an intrafamily program for those adopting within their own family.
Parenting an adopted child, like parenting a child born to you, is a rewarding and life changing experience. Adoption, however, is a very different journey that has started for you and your adopted child well before you have even met.
There are additional challenges and many issues to consider before making a life long commitment to adoptive parenting.
This is why the process of applying to adopt moves in stages. New information at each stage helps you consider whether adoption fits your life circumstances and views.
An overview of the stages and process for applying to adopt through the DoCS' local and intercountry programs is provided on the thinking about adoption page.
The process and preparation for intrafamily adoption, adopting a child with special needs or an older child is different to that for the local and intercountry programs. You can access more information about intrafamily, special needs and older child adoption by going to their respective pages.