Adoption
Adoption
Adopting a Child
Adoption is the legal transfer of all parental rights and responsibilities from a child's birth parents to the adoptive parents. The Family Court deals with applications to adopt a child under the Adoption Act 1955. If you are considering adoption, first contact Child, Youth and Family. The Adoption Act does not apply where an adoptive child or parent lives in another Hague Convention country. Again - Child, Youth and Family will be able to give you advice about the procedure in such cases. There is no filing fee for an Adoption Application.
Adult Adoption Information
Adoption records are not able to be inspected. If you require information about an adoption (for example, an adopted person wanting to locate their birth parents), you should first contact Child, Youth and Family. If you are not able to obtain information from Child, Youth and Family, you may need to make an application to the Family Court to access the Court records.
