❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding adoption services reveals data on approvals, waiting times, assessments, and costs, with the government stating no current plans for law reform to improve placement rates.
AnsweredQoN 703Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to adoption services in Western Australia, and I ask: (a) for each year from 2019-20 to 2024-25, what was the total number of families approved and waiting to adopt children; (b) what is the current average waiting time for approved families to be matched with a child for local adoption; (c) how many children currently in out-of-home care have been assessed as suitable for adoption but remain unadopted; (d) what are the specific criteria that must be met before a child in care becomes eligible for adoption; (e) how many adoption assessments have been commenced but not completed in each year, and what were the reasons for non-completion; (f) what is the total cost per adoption case, including assessment, legal, and administrative costs; (g) how many families have been refused approval for adoption, and what were the primary reasons for refusal; and (h) what consideration has been given to reforming adoption laws to reduce waiting times and increase placement rates?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 November 2025
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Child Protection
Response time
8 days
The Department of Communities advises:
(a) The number of adoption applicants approved each year from 2019-20 to 2024-25:
Year
Total number of applicants approved
2019-20
14
2020-21
42
2021-22
27
2022-23
27
2023-24
22
2024-25
25
As at 21 October 2025, there are 125 prospective adoptive parents, representing 64 households, who have been approved to adopt but not matched with a child in need of adoption.
(b) Birth parents are provided the opportunity to voice their wishes for a family for their child and to select a family from profiles presented to them. The overwhelming majority of birth parents take up this opportunity. Therefore, prospective adoptive parents may be matched within weeks of being approved or may remain in the pool and never be matched.
(c) None.
(d) Under Section 55A of the Adoption Act 1994, “If the child is the subject of a protection order (time limited) or protection order (until 18) under the C hildren and Community Services Act 2004 the CEO must not approve the placement of the child under this section unless the CEO is satisfied that the child’s adoption would be preferable to the making of a protection order (special guardianship) under the Children and Community Services Act 2004 in respect of the child”.
For local children who are relinquished for adoption by their parents under the Adoption Act 1994 , parents need to provide effective consent as per legislative requirement under the Act. Additionally, if a child is 12 years of age or over the child’s consent to the adoption is also required.
(e)
Year
Total number of assessments commenced but not completed
2019-20
1
2020-21
4
2021-22
3
2022-23
2
2023-24
7
2024-25
0
Total
17
Of the 17 applicants, some withdrew due to a change in their circumstances such as they fell pregnant or decided to pursue IVF. Some applicants withdrew because the assessor was not recommending them, the assessor had raised concerns, or the Adoption Application Committee was considering not approving them.
(f) The Department of Communities financial information system does not provide a breakdown of total cost per adoption case, however in the 2024-25 financial year Adoption Services was allocated $2,477,257.
(g) The functions of the Adoption Applications Committee include consideration of whether persons who have applied to the CEO are suitable for adoptive parenthood.
Year
Number of assessments not approved by the Adoption Applications Committee
2019-20
0
2020-21
1
2021-22
2
2022-23
2
2023-24
1 – the applicants were approved to adopt in the following financial year following an appeal to the Director General.
2024-25
1
Total
7
Reasons for applications not being approved by the Adoption Applications Committee included applicants not providing information requested by the Committee and criminal charges that were not disclosed during the assessment but subsequently became known which raised concerns about the repute of the applicants.
(h) The State Government is not considering reform in these areas.
(a) The number of adoption applicants approved each year from 2019-20 to 2024-25:
Year
Total number of applicants approved
2019-20
14
2020-21
42
2021-22
27
2022-23
27
2023-24
22
2024-25
25
As at 21 October 2025, there are 125 prospective adoptive parents, representing 64 households, who have been approved to adopt but not matched with a child in need of adoption.
(b) Birth parents are provided the opportunity to voice their wishes for a family for their child and to select a family from profiles presented to them. The overwhelming majority of birth parents take up this opportunity. Therefore, prospective adoptive parents may be matched within weeks of being approved or may remain in the pool and never be matched.
(c) None.
(d) Under Section 55A of the Adoption Act 1994, “If the child is the subject of a protection order (time limited) or protection order (until 18) under the C hildren and Community Services Act 2004 the CEO must not approve the placement of the child under this section unless the CEO is satisfied that the child’s adoption would be preferable to the making of a protection order (special guardianship) under the Children and Community Services Act 2004 in respect of the child”.
For local children who are relinquished for adoption by their parents under the Adoption Act 1994 , parents need to provide effective consent as per legislative requirement under the Act. Additionally, if a child is 12 years of age or over the child’s consent to the adoption is also required.
(e)
Year
Total number of assessments commenced but not completed
2019-20
1
2020-21
4
2021-22
3
2022-23
2
2023-24
7
2024-25
0
Total
17
Of the 17 applicants, some withdrew due to a change in their circumstances such as they fell pregnant or decided to pursue IVF. Some applicants withdrew because the assessor was not recommending them, the assessor had raised concerns, or the Adoption Application Committee was considering not approving them.
(f) The Department of Communities financial information system does not provide a breakdown of total cost per adoption case, however in the 2024-25 financial year Adoption Services was allocated $2,477,257.
(g) The functions of the Adoption Applications Committee include consideration of whether persons who have applied to the CEO are suitable for adoptive parenthood.
Year
Number of assessments not approved by the Adoption Applications Committee
2019-20
0
2020-21
1
2021-22
2
2022-23
2
2023-24
1 – the applicants were approved to adopt in the following financial year following an appeal to the Director General.
2024-25
1
Total
7
Reasons for applications not being approved by the Adoption Applications Committee included applicants not providing information requested by the Committee and criminal charges that were not disclosed during the assessment but subsequently became known which raised concerns about the repute of the applicants.
(h) The State Government is not considering reform in these areas.
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