Making the process easier for adoption

The process for adopting children has become a little less onerous under recent amendments to the Adoption Act in New South Wales.

The length of time a child has to live with adoptive parents before an application for adoption can be made has been reduced.

The length of time a child has to live with a step parent has decreased from three years to two years, and the time a child has to live with a relative has decreased from five years to two years.

The legislation has also made amendments in favour of couples wishing to adopt children, who now need only to have lived together as a couple for a continuous period of two years, as opposed to the previous requirement of three years.

Adoptive parents still need to comply with age and jurisdictional requirements under the Adoption Act, before an Application can be made to adopt a child.

Ashleigh John is a member of Mullane & Lindsay’s Family and Relationship Law team.

If you require any further information regarding adoption or any other family and relationship law matter, please contact Ashleigh or any of the Mullane Lindsay Family Law team, Mark Sullivan, Vivien Carty or Kristy Davis. Kristy Davis is present at our Tea Gardens office on Wednesday afternoons by appointment. (Tel: 4928 7300).