Adoption in WA

[~BecD~]

Would love to hear from anyone who has been through or currently going through the adoption process in WA.

We have just sent our expression of interest form for the information session, and would love to hear other peoples experiences. I know each state can be quite different with their processes.

We are still doing IVF treatment and I just had a miscarriage but my husband wants us to explore this path also so we are going along to the information session to get more of an idea if it is for us.

[coco1411]

I dont know about adoption period but we want information too. But for NSW.

We havent had our own baby yet, we've been trying for 20 months into our 21st month, but I have always wanted to adopt a child aswell as having my own.

Good luck to you.
xx

[~BecD~]

Eliza, good luck with finding out information in NSW.

We have booked in for July 1st for our first adoption seminar, just to learn what the requirements are and what is involved. At this point we want to put our names down for local adoption, and maybe later explore inter-country adoption if that does not work out.

[Teirae]

I haven't got any experience in any of it but just wanted to say Good luck with it all!!!

[dusty]

I am not in WA but have been through the early stages of adoption/permanent care seminars.
As adoption is a long journey in Australia, I think it is great you are heading to the seminar early as sometimes that is a pre-requiste for going any further and they sometimes only run them a couple of times a year. I know quite a few people who have adopted or who are waiting for a child to be placed with them, and they all said, start the process early if you can. It is good to know what the options are and the seminars are the best way IME to find out what you have to do and the realities of adoption. Too often people just offhandedly say, why don't you adopt. At least by going through this you can answer them with the facts as it isn't easy and isn't always an option available (at least it isn't for DH and I in the ACT as we are considered too old for local adoption).

Be prepared for a fairly full on session, but it is manageable and it will probably be the same as in the ACT where you don't have to give them any details of your situation. It isn't until you formally apply when your life becomes an open book and the rules about not being able to apply while undergoing AC kick in.

I would be interested in hearing what the situation and process is like in WA once you have done the seminar.
xx

[~BecD~]

Thanks for that info dusty - we are of the same mind, although I havent got my head around adoption yet, I want to know what it involves, whether or not it is suitable for us, and then already have made some headway if IVF doesnt work.

Does anyone know if the rules about not being pregnant or undertaking fertility treatment apply to when you apply to adopt, or only at placement? I have heard that you just have to prove you are not pregnant when you are placed, but surely then it would be the same for ART?

It

[Kate07]

Hi Bec

The rules are different for different States. I found this info on adoption in WA.

Department for Child Protection - Who can adopt

Pregnancy of an applicant and fertility treatments

You must provide medical evidence that you are not pregnant or undertaking fertility treatment at the time of having an adopted child placed with you.

In Victoria, prospective parents can be having fertility treatment when they attend an information session, but must have had 6 months without fertility treatment before begining education sessions.

I couldn't find any more specific info on WA (other than the above quote) but you might find more info at the above link.

Interestingly, the WA site said that same sex couples are allowed to adopt in WA, which i don't believe is permitted in Victoria.

[Kate07]

Originally Posted by coco1411

I dont know about adoption period but we want information too. But for NSW.

For info on adoption in NSW, check out this link

DoCS: want to adopt?

Pregnancy and fertility treatment; (in NSW)

Applications will not be considered when one of the applicants is pregnant or pursuing fertility treatment. Where an existing applicant becomes pregnant or wishes to pursue fertility treatment the application will be suspended until the pregnancy or treatment is concluded.

[~BecD~]

That's grate, thanks so much Kate I knew that same sex couples could adopt, last year a male couple adopted for the 1st time which there was a lot of news about.

[~BecD~]

Our information seminar was today so I thought I would post an update. The seminar was brilliant, it gave us an insight into what current needs were in each country and locally, quotas, requirements, problems that children might have from different countries, and obviously how the process works. We have decided that we are going to start the local adoption process, with a view to intercountry adoption from South Korea or Ethiopia if IVF and local adoption are unsuccessful.

I think one of the main factors that has encouraged us to continue down the adoption path is that there is a trend in WA for more local adoptions - they are currently doing 8-10 local babies a year, compared to 2 or 3 in recent times. (Apparently a high % is due to international students in Perth!)

As we are a young married couple, financially stable, church going, tertiary educated etc - we meet a lot of the criteria that birth parents state in their preferences (IN WA birth parents help pick adoptive parents) which could mean a faster placement, but you never really have that guarantee.

So the next step is that we need to attend two more seminars, one on Preparation for Adoptive parenting and one on seperation and attachment in adoption. (There is a 3rd on ICA if we go down that path). Unfortunately they are $300 each seminar so just need to scrape together the money (not easy when on your 9th ivf attempt!!!!) Then assessment seminar, then you have your assessment interviews (min 6 interviews @ 2 hours each!)

For the moment we are happy to pursue both ivf and adoption. We spoke to the social worker at the seminar and they are quite happy for us to continue ivf, and actually encouraged it. If we were to fall pregnant, we would remain in the adoption list as we would be quite happy to have a second child through adoption in addition to a natural child.

[dusty]

Bec that sounds so positive! My MIL would agree that you are what a lot of birth parents are looking for. But as you say there is never any guarantee.

Interesting about them encouraging you to do IVF. In Vic and ACT you are not allowed to apply until 6 months after finishing IVF. Although I think in reality people keep going, quietly on the side.
Sounds like WA is more pragmatic and understand the realities...

Cheering you on here
xx

[lil_chookie]

Originally Posted by dusty

Although I think in reality people keep going, quietly on the side.

Dusty - I also thought this may have been the case......but no. In Victoria they are strict on letters from Fertility Doctors / Clinics stating dates of last treatment. If you are not outside 6 months, you can not proceed. When a placement is made, you have to attend a clinic and having a pregnancy test. You must produce a negative result to proceed with placement, this is the same for local adoption & permanent care.

[dusty]

Originally Posted by lil_chookie

When a placement is made, you have to attend a clinic and having a pregnancy test. You must produce a negative result to proceed with placement, this is the same for local adoption & permanent care.

WOW! Sounds so big brother to me. I completely understand why they require it, but it sounds pretty confronting.

[~BecD~]

Just a quick update - we are booked in for our next adoption seminar in October, and another in November, so finally getting the ball rolling. Still doing ivf as well, but we would love to welcome an adopted child into our family, even if we were to get pregnant. Just starting with local adoption as you have to be 25 before you can apply for international.

[~BecD~]

Just another update - its so quiet in this section of the forum! We had our 1st education session today on 'Parenting an Adopted Child'. It was definitely an eye-opening experience! We had three guest speakers - an adoptee, a couple who adopted a little Ethiopian boy 2 years ago, and a birth mother who relinquished her child in 1981. Each story brought tears to my eyes - so many emotions in one room.

More update in my blog, our next education seminar is next saturday the 31st. Then we will get invited to an info seminar on how to apply, and then we start the application process!

[Kate07]

That's great that you have started the process. There is a good book called Toddler Adoption: The Weaver's Craft that talks about local and international adoptions.

take care,

Kate

[asprovan]

Have just spoken to my friend regarding when she got pregnant - she was allowed to wait in the list/queue until the baby was born and everything was okay. At this time their file was removed from the list/queue and they had to be reassessment as their circumstance had changed. There were permitted to start the reassessment once the baby was 6 months old, but still could not be placed with another child until 2 years had passed.

Hope that this helps.

[asprovan]

Posted an earlier reply but it doesn't look like it has appeared.

We are in WA and have adopted a child from Ethiopia. A long process but worth it. One of the most frustrating things about the journey was the different information we were provided by the Department and then our home assessor.

Have just posted what happened to my friend in terms of being pregnant. In regards to placement of another child the Adoption Act specifies that a child has to be in your care for at least 2 years before another child is placed in your family:-

ADOPTION ACT 1994 - SECT 52

The Ethiopian program has also just reopened (well as from April) but the fees have gone up significantly.

What's New in Intercountry Adoption

The final amount is yet to be released but I have heard it is above US$10,000 so I would be budgeting around AUS$25,000 to AUS$30,000 for the whole adoption journey which will include assessments, file processing fee, visa ($1,400), flights ($10,000), accommodation, spending money etc. Fortunately you don't need to pay this out in one hit but you certainly feel very poor when you are allocated as this is when the money flies out of your account and this was on the old fee structure (Power of Attorney: US$1,000, Foster Care Fees: US$2,000, Visa: $1,400, Flights: $8,000, Accommodation: $1,000) just pray the US/AUS exchange rate remains favourable.