Julia
11-26-2004, 01:25 PM
November 26, 2004
The number of overseas children adopted in Australia hit a 10-year
high in 2003-2004 while Australian-born adoptions continued to fall, a
new report has found.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, Adoptions
Australia, found 370 children were adopted from overseas in 2003-2004,
up 148 from 1995.
Report author Debbie Noble-Carr said a jump in the number of adoptions
from China was the primary cause of the rise.
"There's been a substantial increase in adoptions from China, from 46
in 2002-2003 to 112 in 2003-2004," Ms Noble-Carr said.
China made up 30 per cent of total inter-country adoptions, with South
Korea and Ethiopia also considerably increasing their share.
Adoptions from Fiji and Romania had all but ceased, Ms Noble-Carr
said.
Children adopted from overseas also tended to be older, the report
found, with 59 per cent older than one year, and a further 30 per cent
two or older.
"This may reflect the longer time it takes to adopt a child from
another country, compared to from within Australia, where 88 per cent
of adopted children were under one year of age," Ms Noble-Carr said.
But the number of Australian-born adoptions continued to fall, making
up just 14 per cent of the total.
"Known" child adoptions - where the child is placed with a relative or
known person - fell to a record low of 59.
Shifting community attitudes and legislative changes were responsible
for the decline, Ms Noble-Carr said.
"Changes in community attitudes to issues surrounding unplanned
pregnancies and single parents, and legislative changes introduced by
state and territory departments (are to blame)," she said.
"These legislative changes allow the transfer of permanent
guardianship and custody of a child to a person other than a parent as
a legal alternative to adoption."
Over half Australian-born adoptees were placed with parents who had no
other children and were predominantly 35 or older.
The report also found the majority of birth mothers of Australian-born
adoptees were under the age of 30, and almost all were unmarried.
© 2004 AAP
The number of overseas children adopted in Australia hit a 10-year
high in 2003-2004 while Australian-born adoptions continued to fall, a
new report has found.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, Adoptions
Australia, found 370 children were adopted from overseas in 2003-2004,
up 148 from 1995.
Report author Debbie Noble-Carr said a jump in the number of adoptions
from China was the primary cause of the rise.
"There's been a substantial increase in adoptions from China, from 46
in 2002-2003 to 112 in 2003-2004," Ms Noble-Carr said.
China made up 30 per cent of total inter-country adoptions, with South
Korea and Ethiopia also considerably increasing their share.
Adoptions from Fiji and Romania had all but ceased, Ms Noble-Carr
said.
Children adopted from overseas also tended to be older, the report
found, with 59 per cent older than one year, and a further 30 per cent
two or older.
"This may reflect the longer time it takes to adopt a child from
another country, compared to from within Australia, where 88 per cent
of adopted children were under one year of age," Ms Noble-Carr said.
But the number of Australian-born adoptions continued to fall, making
up just 14 per cent of the total.
"Known" child adoptions - where the child is placed with a relative or
known person - fell to a record low of 59.
Shifting community attitudes and legislative changes were responsible
for the decline, Ms Noble-Carr said.
"Changes in community attitudes to issues surrounding unplanned
pregnancies and single parents, and legislative changes introduced by
state and territory departments (are to blame)," she said.
"These legislative changes allow the transfer of permanent
guardianship and custody of a child to a person other than a parent as
a legal alternative to adoption."
Over half Australian-born adoptees were placed with parents who had no
other children and were predominantly 35 or older.
The report also found the majority of birth mothers of Australian-born
adoptees were under the age of 30, and almost all were unmarried.
© 2004 AAP
