Making decisions about the long term care options for your child, including adoption, can be very distressing. You may feel pressured about keeping your child or about relinquishing your child. Adoption Services will not pressure you one way or the other, but will give you the opportunity to talk about the situation. Adoption Service staff are required to keep your adoption information confidential.
There are options to adoption that may be better for some.
Adoption is one option. There are a number of options available when faced with having a child.
You could:
- try to raise your child yourself or with the help of the other parent and / or extended family - support is available for parenting
- talk to the Department for Child Protection about placing your child in foster care for a short period, while you consider your feelings, options and receive support.
Adoption Service can provide information
If you want to find out more about adoption, call the Department for Child Protection’s Adoption Service. Your call will remain private and you will be treated with care and respect.
Adoption Service staff can help you understand what adoption means, what happens in an adoption and what your rights are.
For more information see
Private arrangements
It is illegal to make private arrangements to have your child cared for by someone else if this may lead to an adoption. There are serious penalties such as a $25,000 fine and a two year term of imprisonment.