Adoption
What is adoption?
Adoption is a legal process where a child who is unable to live with their birth parents becomes part of another family.
The Family Court of WA is responsible for making orders in relation to adoptions.
What are the legal effects of adopting a child?
Adoption is a permanent, legal arrangement and the person who adopts the child takes on full parental rights and responsibilities for that child.
The arrangement cuts all legal ties between the child and their birth parents, and the birth parents no longer have legal rights over the child.
The child usually takes on the family name of the adoptive family, and is given the same rights and privileges as if he or she was actually born into that family; for example, rights of inheritance.
Can I adopt a child?
To be eligible to adopt a child in Western Australia you must meet certain criteria including age and residency requirements.
For more information about the eligibility criteria go to Thinking about adoption (www.wa.gov.au) or contact the Department of Communities’ Adoption Team on:
Telephone: (08) 9286 5200
Free call: 1800 182 178
Email: adoptions@communities.wa.gov.au
Where can I find information about placing a child for adoption?
The decision of whether to place your child for adoption is a very important one and there are many issues you will need to think about. If you are considering your options for the care of your child, you can find more information about adoption and the services available to assist you on the Department of Communities website.
More information
For more information, read the:
Last updated: 3-Nov-2022
[ back to top ]