Adoption Information
There are many couples and families across Australia waiting to adopt children, while very few are offered for adoption each year. This may be the result of the way adoptions were conducted several years ago, however, the process has changed drastically since then. While it can be a difficult decision to make, it allows you to choose an admirable, self-less, life-giving and beautiful path from what can be an exceedingly tough situation.
Could adoption be right for me?
Adoption is a very practical and loving choice for your child, especially if you feel you:
- aren’t ready to be a parent but do not want an abortion
- don’t have a good support system in place
- are too young to be a parent
- need to focus on school, university or your career
How does adoption work?
Today’s adoption process allows you to choose the family that will adopt your child. You also decide how involved you want to be in your child’s life, from receiving updates regularly to being anonymous until he or she is an adult. Part of the adoption process for you will be to obtain counselling. This is a necessary step in South Australia to ensure that adoption is what you want for your child. You can freely choose to change your mind at any point, as relinquishing is not finalised until after the birth of your child. You cannot relinquish your child until 28 days after the birth. Your child is placed with very special foster parents until the new parents are chosen. Transfer to new parents usually takes place over time.
Who should I contact if I choose adoption?
While Birthline does not oversee adoptions, we can refer you to an adoption agency who will assign you a social worker. They will be able to take you through the adoption process step by step.
If you are unexpectedly pregnant, you are not alone. There are options available to you and resources to help you as you consider them. Call our 24-hour counselling line for immediate help or schedule an appointment to receive services at our centre.