Promoting the life-changing role of open adoption and finding ‘forever families’ for children and young people in out-of-home care is the focus of 2020’s National Adoption Awareness Month.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said NSW is leading the way when it comes to providing permanency for vulnerable children, prioritising open adoption and guardianship.
“Every child on the Central Coast should have a safe, loving and permanent home,” Mr Crouch said.
“I am so pleased the NSW Government was able to assist in 17 adoptions from out-of-home care to Central Coast families in 2019/20.
“There is always more to do, and our Government’s priority is to find ‘forever families’ for children who cannot remain with their birth parents for safety reasons.”
In NSW, people can now be assessed, trained and authorised to become both a foster carer and adoptive parent at the same time, so that applicants don’t have to undergo the authorisation process multiple times.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said the NSW Government has streamlined the adoption process and promoted the life-changing role adoption plays.
“Not only is it important to provide permanency for children, but it is vital to do it in a way where they feel connected to their heritage and understand where they came from,” Mr Ward said.
“That is why we are investing in training and support for carers and prospective adoptive parents, are working to make the adoption process as efficient as possible and are introducing legislation to support important open-adoption policies.”
The NSW Government is strengthening support for foster and kinship carers and prospective adoptive parents through the $7 million My Forever Family program, which offers training and support to parents.
In 2018/19, NSW accounted for 96 per cent of all carer adoptions in Australia.
For more information, go to: www.facs.nsw.gov.au/families/adoption.