Intercountry adoption support

Information on national, state and territory support for intercountry adoptees and their families.

Types of support

Bringing a child home is a big change for any family. For adopted children, joining a new family can be a unique and sometimes difficult journey. 

You and your child may need support at different times throughout your adoption journey.

Support available includes:

  • individual counselling
  • family therapy
  • group counselling
  • telephone counselling
  • mediation
  • mentoring
  • cultural support
  • support to address your adoption concerns.

National support services

If you need immediate help or counselling, contact:

Your state and territory central authority is your main source of support and advice for intercountry adoption. They can support you after you bring your child home. 

Learn more about community, peer and advocacy groups.

Learn more about the intercountry adoption contacts.

Intercountry Adoptee and Family Support Service 

The Intercountry Adoptee and Family Support Service is a free, national service.

It can provide support before, during and after intercountry adoption, including:

  • counselling and therapeutic care
  • resources and information about intercountry adoption for adoptees, adoptive parents and teachers
  • support services, including peer support.

 The service is available to:

  • adoptees
  • adoptive parents
  • prospective adoptive parents
  • Families of adoptees, when it relates to an adoptee’s experiences of intercountry adoption. This includes siblings, partners and children
  • families formed by Australians who adopt a child while living overseas as expatriates.

The Australian Government funds the Intercountry Adoptee and Family Support Service. Relationships Australia delivers this service on our behalf.

State and territory support services

Australian Capital Territory

Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC)

PARC offers specialised post adoption counselling and support in the ACT. This includes help searching for relatives and mediation for people making contact and reuniting with family.

New South Wales 

Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC)

PARC provides information and support to people affected by adoption in NSW. This includes counselling, intermediary services and therapeutic groups.

Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Adoption Information Unit (AIU)

DCJ AIU provides information, counselling and case management for intercountry (and local) adoptions. Support is for adopted people, birth parents, adoptive parents and family members. The AIU can provide sensitive information, specialist advice and referrals for longer term support. They can also help with reunions.

International Post Adoption Tracing Service (IPATS)

IPATS provides tracing and reunion support to NSW residents affected by adoption, where one party is now overseas.

NSW Special Search Service

The NSW Special Search Service provides support to people separated by government intervention in NSW. That is, through adoption, people placed under the care of the Minister, foster care, or placed in a children’s home in NSW. They provide search and reunion services.

Queensland 

Post Adoption Support QLD (PASQ)

PASQ provides information and support for people affected by adoption.

Jigsaw Queensland

Jigsaw Queensland helps people affected by adoption and the professionals who work with them.

South Australia 

Relationships Australia SA – Post Adoption Support Service (PASS)

PASS provides counselling, information and support. They also help with family search and reunion, and links to other supports and networks.

Tasmania 

Adoptions and Permanency Services (APS)

APS provides information and counselling support to both adoptees and adoptive parents. This includes help to access adoption information and facilitating reunions.

Victoria 

Permanent Care and Adoptive Families

Permanent Care and Adoptive Families supports permanent care, kinship care and adoptive families. It helps children thrive through individual and peer support services. PCA Families also operates a helpline and offers flexible funding for eligible families. They are a not-for-profit member representative organisation with lived experience foundations. 

VANISH

VANISH is a community organisation based on the self-help model, offering a support service that aims to empower individuals to make informed decisions.

Western Australia

Adoption Research and Counselling Service Inc (ARCS)

ARCS offers professional support for people separated from family through adoption. They offer counselling, education, research and information.

  • Print
  • Email

Was this page helpful?

Your feedback has been successfully submitted.
Thank you for providing feedback. Help us improve by telling us what you think.
DSS2386 | Permalink: www.dss.gov.au/node/2386