Children and adults with complex issues related to adoption, including intercountry adoption, or with having been a ward of the state, or experienced forced separation from family, as with the stolen generation, have available several groups and services available for support.
Adoption and Permanent Care Services
The department's local adoption and permanent care program.
Alliance for Forgotten Australians
An alliance of existing groups and individuals supporting people who were raised in institutional or other out-of-home care in Australia in the 20th century.
Anglicare
Anglicare Victoria exists to protect the vulnerable in our community – a child suffering from abuse, a homeless young person, a women escaping domestic violence, an impoverished couple unable to feed their family – people who desperately need our help
Association of Relinquishing Mothers Victoria Inc (ARMS)
ARMS (Vic) is a self-help group that supports all women who have lost a child or children to adoption, in a caring, non-judgmental atmosphere. The group offers empathic support to other woman in the same situation through our website, phone or support group meetings.
Australian Intercountry Adoption Network AICAN
The Australian Intercountry Adoption Network (AICAN) is the national network of 13 non-government organisations (NGOs) involved in international adoption.
Broken Rites
Broken Rites Australia was formed in 1992 by victims of church-related sexual abuse.
Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN)
A network for people who grew up in Australia's orphanages, Children's Homes and in foster care.
CatholicCare
CatholicCare is an organisation that works on behalf of the Archdiocese in Melbourne to fulfil the Church’s mission of service to the community.
Centre Against Sexual Assault
Works to ensure that women, children and men who are victim/survivors of sexual assault have access to comprehensive and timely support and intervention to address their needs.
Child Migrants Trust
The Child Migrants Trust was founded in 1987 as an independent, specialised, comprehensive, professional service for former child migrants, their parents and relatives.
Compass Support Services
The Compass program has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services to provide free specialist support for people affected by forced adoption.
Connections
Connections UnitingCare is a community organisation with a long and proud history of supporting marginalised and disadvantaged people.
Connecting Home - a service for stolen generations
The primary purpose of the organisation is to support and address the needs of people affected by practices and policies of removing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from family, community, country and culture.
Donor Conception Support Group
The Donor Conception Support Group of Australia Inc. is a self funding organisation run by volunteers and has existed since 1993.
CREATE
CREATE connects and empowers children and young people in care and improves the care system through activities, programs, training and policy advice.
Find and Connect
The Find and Connect web resource is for Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants and anyone interested in the history of child welfare in Australia.
Forde Foundation
A Foundation established for the purposes for the relief of poverty, for advancement of education, training or development, personal and social support, relief of sickness, suffering, distress, general enhancement of social and economic well-being or for any other purpose beneficial to persons who have been wards of the State or under guardianship of the State or have been a resident, as a child, in a Queensland institution.
Independent Regional Mothers
For information about Independent Regional Mothers please email: motherstruth@gmail.com
Intercountry Adoption Resource Network (ICARN)
ICARN Australia is a resource and support network for families with adopted children born overseas.
Intercountry Adoption Service (ICAS)
This website has been set up by the Department of Human Services to explain the background to intercountry adoptions, the processes, and the frustrations, so that families interested in pursuing this path know exactly what they’re letting themselves in for.
International Social Services (ISS)
International Social Service works across borders with those in vulnerable situations, with a special emphasis on children.
Kildonan Uniting Care
Kildonan UnitingCare is one of Australia's oldest community organisations dating back to 1881.
Lifeline
Connect with someone who cares - 13 11 14.
Link Up Victoria
The Link Up Victoria program was established in 1990 to address the specific needs of Indigenous people who were the victims of past goverment child removal policies and practices.
New South Wales: Adoption Information Unit
Adoption and Permanent Care Services provides adoption services for natural parents who are considering adoption for their child, as well as for people who want to adopt a child from NSW or overseas.
Open Place
Co-ordinates and provides direct assistance to address the needs and issues of people who grew up in Victorian State care, helps people deal with the legacy of their childhood experiences and provides support to improve their health and wellbeing.
Permanent Care and Adoptive Families
Permanent Care and Adoptive Families is a member-based, not-for-profit organisation providing services to deliver better outcomes for children and families in permanent care and adoption. Services include information and resource sharing, peer support, training for families and professionals, all of which are informed by the lived experience of families. Permanent Care and Adoptive Families is the trading name for Post Placement Support Service (Vic) Inc.
Public Records Office Victoria
Public Record Office Victoria is the archives of the State Government of Victoria. We hold records from the European settlement of Port Phillip district in the mid-1830s to today.
Queensland: Adoption Services Queensland
In Queensland, our department is responsible for administering adoption legislation and providing statutory services to parents considering adoption for their children, children requiring adoptive placements, people seeking to adopt children and eligible adults affected by adoption seeking information.
Rainbow Families
The Rainbow Families Council is a volunteer community organisation that aims to ensure equality for rainbow families (parents, partners and prospective parents who identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex, and their children).
Tasmania: Adoption and Information Service
The Adoption and Information Service coordinates and manages adoptions in Tasmania, including arrangements for Tasmanian-born and overseas children, step-parent, and relative adoptions.
Victorian Adoption Network for Information and Self-Help (VANISH)
Services are currently available to those who have a personal experience of separation from family of origin.
Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA)
The Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) (formally the Infertility Treatment Authority) is a statutory authority responsible for administering aspects of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008.
Victorian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages (BDM)
You can submit an application for most Registry-issued certificates online or by completing an application form.
Wings for Survivors
Former state wards and child residents of institutions and orphanages in Australia, welcome to your community! Our site is created by Forgotten Australians, for Forgotten Australians...