Adoption - web links and reference material

Further reading material available in Resources

Victoria

Children, Youth and Families - Department of Human Services (DHS) http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/children,-families-and-young-people 

Information on Adoption, Child Protection, Placement & Support, Family Services, Family Violence, Sexual Assault, Youth Justice and Youth Services.

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) http;//www.education.vic.gov.au/earlychildhood/

Information for carers and parents about early childhood services 0-8yo.

MyTime Playgroups http://www.mytime.net.au/

MyTime groups provide facilitated peer support for anyone caring for children with a disability, developmental delay or chronic medical condition.

My Child http://www.mychild.gov.au/

Information on different types of child care and how to get assistance with the cost of child care.  This site also has links to other useful websites about children's health and wellbeing, parenting and family support services.

Intercountry Adoption Parent Support Groups Victoria

Intercountry Adoption Resource Network (Australia) (ICARN)

Address: PO Box 12238 A'Beckett Street Melbourne VIC 8006
Contact: Karen Wheeler Tel: (03) 9898 9625 Email: info@icarn.com.au  

Facts International Adoption Association (known as FACTS)

Address: PO Box 1099 Templestowe VIC 3106
President: Andrea Grant Tel: (03) 9431 2514 

Families with Children from China - Australia (FCC) http://www.fccaustralia.com.au/

Address: PO Box 13143 Law Courts VIC 8101

Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FCC-Australia/ (members only)

For families wishing to find out more about FCC or join please contact: Dianne Di Blasi

Email: ddiblasi@bigpond.net.au

Korean Adoptive Families - Han Ho http://www.kaf.org.au/

President: Charlie Salloum Email: president@kaf.org.au 

Australian African Children's Aid and Support Association (AACASA)

State Representatives: Lisa and David Morey Email: bindarra@mcmedia.com.au 

Thai Parent Support Group

Jenny and John Van Haandel
Phone: (03) 9817-4306 / 0418 329 299
Email: jvanhaandel@bigpond.com

Australian Society for Intercountry Aid (Children) of Victoria (ASIAC)

Contact: Glenys Chandler
Address: PO Box 189 Glen Waverley VIC 3150
Tel: (03) 9808 6613
Fax: (03) 9888 8345
Email: ggchand@bigpond.net.au 

National

Contact details for Government Post-Adoption Services and Funded Non-Government Post-Adoption Services:

http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/IntercountryAdoption_Post-AdoptionServices

National Intercountry Adoption Advisory Group http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Intercountry_AdoptionConsultative_Groups

The National Intercountry Adoption Advisory Group advises the Australian Government on intercountry adoption issues, and acts as a conduit between government and the intercountry adoption community in Australia.  The membership of the group reflects the diverse nature of the intercountry adoption community. Members are drawn from a variety of backgrounds and provide valuable and constructive viewpoints on issues relevant to intercountry adoption policy and management.  The establishment of an Advisory group was a key recommendation of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Human Services' 2005 Report, Overseas Adoption in Australia.

Post Adoption Resource Centre http://www.bensoc.org.au/parc/

A service of The Benevolent Society that provides information, counselling and a range of other services to anyone affected by adoption throughout New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. 

Post Adoption Resource Centre (PASS) http://www.rasa.org.au/en/whatwedo/postadoption.aspx

Located in South Australia, Post Adoption Support Services (PASS) offers services to people whose lives involve adoption, through providing information, resources and a range of support services such as counseling, workshops and support groups. Support for birth parents and families, people who have been adopted, and adoptive parents and families.  

Post Adoption Support Queensland (PASQ) http://www.bensoc.org.au/postadoption/director/aboutpostadoption/aboutpasq.cfm 

PASQ provides services to all parties affected by adoption in Queensland. PASQ is funded by the Department of Communities (Child Safety). PASQ also offers resources for professionals, community forums and tailored training seminars. 

Special Needs Adoption Australia http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/SpecialNeedsAdoptionAustralia/?yguid=241069176/
Supporting adoptive families with special needs children from all countries.

Adoption Research and Counselling Service, WA http://www.adoptionwa.org.au/default.asp
ARCS provides professional counselling, support and information to anyone dealing with the challenges and opportunities in adoption, pre-adoption, step and blended families, foster families and families created through assisted reproductive technologies.

Beyond Blue http://www.beyondblue.org/ 

BeyondBlue is a national, independent, non-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related disorders in Australia.

International

British Association for Adoption and Fostering http://www.baaf.org.uk/
BAAF supports, advises and campaigns for better outcomes for children in care. The organisation works with everyone involved with adoption and fostering across the UK. It has regional and country offices in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We thoroughly recommend the excellent books published by BAAF.

Center For Family Connections (USA) http://www.kinnect.org/
Center For Family Connections (CFFC) is an educational and clinical resource centre that specializes in the developmental, structural, and systemic issues related to adoption, foster care, kinship care and guardianship by offering training, education, advocacy, and clinical treatment.

The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) http://www.adoptionsupport.org/index.php

C.A.S.E. is a private, non-profit adoptive family support center. Its programs focus on helping children from a variety of foster care and adoptive backgrounds to receive understanding and support which will enable them to grow into successful, productive adults. C.A.S.E. is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and education to everyone in the adoption community.

Adoptees

VANISH http://www.vanish.org.au/ 

Located in Melbourne with members in all parts of Australia, VANISH is funded by the Victorian State Government through the Department of Human Services. Services (support and searching for family members services) are currently available to those who have a personal experience of separation from family of origin:

• People affected by adoption - adopted people, birth parents, birth relatives, adult children of adopted people and adoptive parents
• People affected by donor conception.
• Forgotten Australians - former wards of state and/or those who were voluntarily placed in institutions or foster care in Victoria

Victorian Adoptee Network (VAN)

Melbourne based network: discussions, support groups. Contact: victorianadopteenetwork@mail.com

Australian Adult Adoptees Network http://australianadopteesnetwork.com/

Only Australian adoptees are able to become members of this group.  

International Adoptee Community (IAC) http://iacaustralia.org

IAC has been founded by adoptees who wish to provide friendship, information and support to fellow adoptees that have experienced an inter-country or cross-cultural upbringing through adoption both internationally and locally.