Adoption Regulations 2019

For the purposes of section 13(2) of the Act, an application for approval as a fit and proper person to adopt a child must be in Form 1 of Schedule 1.

For the purposes of section 13(3) of the Act, the prescribed requirements are the following—

the health of the applicant or applicants, including emotional, physical and mental health, is suitable;

the age and maturity of the applicant or applicants are suitable;

the applicant or applicants have suitable skills and life experience;

the applicant or applicants' financial circumstances are suitable;

the applicant or applicants have the capacity to provide a stable, secure and beneficial emotional and physical environment during a child's upbringing until the child reaches social and emotional independence;

the applicant or applicants have the capacity to provide appropriate support to the maintenance of a child's cultural identity and religious faith (if any);

the applicant or applicants have a suitable appreciation of the importance of—

access to a child's natural parent or parents and family; and

exchange of information about the child with the child's natural parent or parents and family; and

participating in the formation of an adoption plan for the child;

in the case of an applicant or applicants who may be considered for the adoption of an Aboriginal child, the applicant or applicants have a suitable appreciation of the importance of and a commitment to—

maintaining and developing the child's Aboriginal identity; and

maintaining a connection between the child and members of the Aboriginal community to which the child belongs;

the general stability of character of the applicant or applicants is suitable;

except in the case of a sole applicant, the stability and quality of the applicants' relationship with each other is suitable;

the stability and quality of the applicant or applicants' relationship with the other household and family members is suitable;

the criminal history (if any) of the applicant or applicants does not make the applicant or applicants unsuitable;

the criminal history (if any) of the household members does not make the applicant or applicants unsuitable;

if the applicant or applicants have or have had the care of a child before applying for approval as fit and proper persons to adopt a child, the applicant or applicants have shown an ability to provide a stable, secure and beneficial emotional and physical environment for the child.