Adoption Act 1993

The main objects of this Act include—

ensuring that the best interests of the child or young person are the paramount consideration in the adoption of a child or young person; and

providing an adoption process that promotes the wellbeing and care of children and young people in a way that recognises the child’s or young person’s right—

to grow in a safe and stable environment; and

to be cared for by a suitable family and to establish enduring relationships; and

to know about family background and culture and have the opportunity to maintain or develop cultural identity; and

ensuring that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are included and participate in any adoption of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child or young person; and

ensuring that adoption is centred on the needs of the child or young person rather than an adult wanting to care for a child or young person; and

consulting with the child or young person throughout the adoption process and, wherever possible, taking the child’s or young person’s views into account; and

recognising a birth parent’s involvement in making decisions about their child’s future; and

providing for adoption plans to recognise the intentions of parties in an adoption; and

ensuring that equivalent standards apply for a child or young person adopted from the ACT and a child or young person adopted from overseas; and

ensuring that the adoption process in the ACT complies with Australia’s international obligations, in particular the obligations arising under the Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.

Note The text of the Convention is set out in sch 1.