The Department of Communities has established the Western Australian Forced Adoption Reference Group (Reference Group) to ensure people with lived experience of forced adoption have a central role in shaping the legislation, policies and practices that impact them.
The experience and insight of members will help inform the WA Government’s implementation of the recommendations of Report 66 - Broken Bonds, Fractured Lives: report on the inquiry into past forced adoption in Western Australia tabled in the WA Parliament on 22 August 2024.
Consistent with the Terms of Reference of the Parliamentary Inquiry, members are people involved in an adoption in Western Australia between the years 1939 to the early 1980s who identify as having experienced a forced adoption.
On the 22 October 2024 the Department of Communities opened the Expressions of Interest (EOI) processes for the Reference Group. The EOI processes closed on the 31 January 2025.
The Reference Group includes 12 people with direct lived experience of forced adoption, either appointed as individuals or as representatives of three local peer support groups. The Terms of Reference define the structure and work of the Reference Group.
The Forced Adoption Reference Group is coordinated by the Department of Communities.
Forced Adoption Reference Group Meeting Communique
- Meeting 1 – 13 June 2025 Communique (PDF, 160.23KB)
- Meeting 2 – 29 August 2025 Communique (PDF, 195.86 KB)
- Meeting 3 – 14 November 2025 Communique (PDF, 171.28 KB)
The Reference Group will not be the only forum for Government consultation and communication and will be complemented by other stakeholder engagement processes.
To register your interest in updates on the progress of the Reference Group or other opportunities that may arise for consultation please contact the Forced Adoption Inquiry Implementation Team on 0403 137 530 or email: forcedadoptionsinquiry@communities.wa.gov.au
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