Pre-placement contact by people who want to adopt

About pre-placement contact 

Pre‑placement contact means any contact between people who want to adopt before an adoption being finalised, including but not limited to:

• email, letters, social media interactions, online adoption portals or other electronic communication
• telephone or video calls
• face‑to‑face meetings, including visits to orphanages
• communication through intermediaries or third parties.

Pre‑placement contact includes contact between people who want to adopt and:

• a child who might need to be adopted from another country
• a person or organisation caring for children who may need adoption
• a government authority or agency in another country involved in the adoption process.

Requirements of the Hague Convention 

Under the Hague Convention(Opens in a new tab/window), people who want to adopt a child should not make contact before the adoption is officially approved. This is because contact may:

• seem like they are trying to pressure or influence decisions made by governments and agencies in other countries
• affect whether authorities in another country agree to the child’s placement, even if a match has already been planned
• put the child’s chances of being placed at risk
• harm the fairness and trust of Australia’s international adoption program with the child’s country of origin.

Under the Hague Convention, contact may be allowed in limited situations after a placement has been accepted. This can include when:

• the child has said they want contact, and it is considered to be in their best interests
• the state or territory central authority or country of origin determines that contact would be helpful
• contact cannot be avoided
• the authority of the country of origin requests contact
• the adoption involves a relative (Opens in a new tab/window)or a child already known(Opens in a new tab/window) to the adoptive parents

Australia’s position

Australia focuses on protecting the best interests of the child. We do this by making sure all placement decisions are fair and made without pressure, expectations, money, or outside influence, before legal and welfare checks are completed. Because of this, Australia’s Central Authorities do not allow any contact before a child is placed.

People who want to adopt should ask their State or Territory Central Authority(Opens in a new tab/window) for approval, after a placement has been accepted, before having any contact.

If the child’s country of origin has different rules or processes, it is important for adoptive parents to be careful and get advice from their State or Territory Central Authority.

Advice for people who want to adopt travelling to countries of origin 

People who want to adopt a child can only travel to the child’s country of origin if their State or Territory Central Authority clearly allows it.

• Travel for adoption related purposes can only occur when it is officially approved. No contact should take place unless the authority says it is okay after the placement is approved.
• If travelling for personal, cultural or other reasons, there must be no contact with:
  • children who may need adoption
  • orphanages, care centres, carers, or adoption facilitators
  • government officials or agencies involved in intercountry adoption.

These rules apply if you have been considering adoption or if you have an active adoption application.