Easy English fact sheets for parents dealing with the child protection system. Advice from parents with experience.

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My child

My child / Adoption
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Adoption

What is adoption?

A child becomes part of a new family.
The new family cares for the child.
The child was not born in to this family.
The child gets a
  • new last name
  • new birth certificate.
The family has a legal paper.
It says they have adopted the child.
Your child is in out of home care.
It means your child does not live with you.
Your child lives with a
  • different person in your family
    or
  • with a foster family.
Read our fact sheet
What is foster care?
It will tell you more about out of home care.
Your Court case is over.
Your child is in out of home care all the time now.
Community Services say your child will not live with you anymore.

Can your child be adopted?

Yes.

Why

Community Services say
  • it is a safe place for your child
  • your child will stay in the same home.
This is good.
It is called a stable placement.
Your child can stay until they are 18 years old.
Community Services make an Adoption Plan.

Adoption plan

Community Services will have a meeting.
You can go to the meeting.
Take
  • a support person
    or
  • an advocate.
The plan will say when you can see your child.
Like you can see your child 1 time a month.
You can tell Community Services
  • you agree to the plan
or
  • you do not agree with the plan.
But
The Court can still say your child is adopted.
The Court must do what is best for your child.
After your child is adopted
  • Community Services close your childs case
  • You can not go back to Court.

More information

This fact sheet is general information.
It may not be the same for you.
Talk to a lawyer about
  • your own child
  • your family.
This fact sheet was made by
  • The WASH House
  • The Ability Rights Centre. A service of IDRS
with
  • a Parent Advisory Group, 2020.
Images
We have used images from
  • ChangePeople
  • COMPIC
  • Mayer-Johnson
  • Participics
  • Picto-Selector
  • TheNounProject.
  • Pinterest
Access Easy English helped The WASH House write the Easy English.
March 2020.

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