As most of you may already be aware, following the announcement of the Victorian formal apology in October 2012 to mothers, fathers, sons and daughters profoundly affected by past adoption practices, amendments to the Adoption Act 1984 were put under review.What changes have occurred?
As of 1 July 2013,
- Natural (biological) parents can apply for identifying information about their adult adopted child WITHOUT the need for the adopted person's permission
- Identifying information may be sourced through relevant authorities using a prescribed form
- An adopted person can regulate contact by expressing the type of contact they agree on eg: reunion, letter etc. Or they can express their wish for NO CONTACT.
- Fees relating to searching for family information (adoption search) has now been removed through family information networks and the discovery service
- The Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages will now register an adoption child whose adoption was finalised in a Hague Convention country, issueing them with a Victorian Birth Certificate.
