Only 68 Aussie kids put up for adoption last year
With all the noise about adoption, it is worth taking a breather and actually looking at the number of kids who are being adopted in Australia. Last year, only 68 Aussie kids were put up for adoption when the adoptive parents were strangers to the child.
The latest report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare contrasts the situation with the early 70’s, when 10,000 children were adopted.
Last year a total of 441, or one more child than the previous year, were adopted across Australia. The broken down figures are these:
- Most of the children, 61% or 269 were adopted from overseas.
- The balance, 39% or 172 were Aussie kids.
- Of those 172, 68 were what is called “local” adoptions, and the balance or 104 were primarily step-parent or carer.
- Not one child was adopted by a family member last year.
Overseas adoption figures
- 82% of overseas adoptions were from Asia, primarily China.
- 14% were from Africa.
- 3% were from South America.
- 1% were from Europe.
Adoption advocates call for change
The ABC is reporting that adoption adovcates say that there is a double standard: it is so hard to adopt within Australia, and same sex couples and singles are excluded, while it is much easier for expatriate Australains to adopt, that there should be significant changes to the system.
