Adoption data

This page provides an overview of Western Australia’s annual adoption data.

Adoption Orders Granted

Adoption Orders are granted by the Family Court of Western Australia. For some of Australia’s intercountry adoption programs, the adoption order is finalised in the country of origin, and for other intercountry adoption programs the adoption order is finalised in the Family Court of Western Australia.

Definitions

• Adult – adoption orders granted to an adult who is at least 18 years of age seeking to be adopted.
• Step-parent – adoption orders granted to a step-parent seeking to adopt a child or young person under 18 years of age.
• Relative – adoption orders granted to a biological relative seeking to adopt a child or young person under 18 years of age.
• Local – adoption orders granted for a child or young person who is born in Western Australia to a person or persons who are not a step-parent, relative or foster carer.
• Inter-country – adoption orders granted for a child or young person through Australia’s Inter-country Adoption Programs.  

Adoption Services

Annual data on the services provided by the Adoption Services team.

Definitions

• Discharge of adoption – the Adoption Order has been discharged by the Family Court of Western Australia.
• Applications received for adoption information – the number of applications Adoption Services received for requests to access adoption information. This includes both identifying and non-identifying information.
• Facilitated contact between people – mediation for parties who have previously registered their details with Adoption Services to request mediation.
• Outreach services – the Adoption Services team makes an approach to another person involved in an adoption to request information or contact.
• Supported release – the opportunity to meet with a case worker when receiving sensitive information.
• Death notifications – Adoption Services receives reports from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages on the deaths of adopted people. Adoption Services may also become aware of a death of a mother, father or sibling of an adopted person through family members advising the team or during research of a person’s adoption records or search for birth family members. The Adoption Services team are required by the Adoption Act 1994 to notify relevant parties of the death of an adopted person, or one of the parties to an adoption, or a sibling of the adopted person. The number of death notifications reflects the total notifications delivered or attempted to be delivered by the team.