Adoptions 974. Hon Maryka Groenewald to the minister representing the Minister for Child Protection: I refer to the process of applying for a local adoption in Western Australia. (1) What is the curre

AnsweredQoN 974Legislative Council
Asked
23 October 2025
Portfolio
Child Protection

QuestionView source ↗

Adoptions
974. Hon Maryka Groenewald to the minister representing
the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the
process of applying for a local adoption in Western Australia.
(1) What is the current vetting process and what
are the steps for prospective adoptive parents?
(2) Can this process and these steps be tabled?
(3) On average, how long does it take for
prospective adoptive parents to be approved to adopt?
(4) Why is it necessary to subject prospective
adoptive parents to this level of scrutiny?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. I provide this answer as the
minister representing the Minister for Child Protection, and this response has
been provided by the Minister for Child Protection.
The Department of
Communities advises the following.
(1)–(4) The paramount consideration in
adoption is always the welfare and best interests of the child who is the
adoptee or prospective adoptee. Adoption of a child should occur only in
circumstances in which there is no other appropriate alternative for the child
and the child's birth parents have provided consent to the adoption. The
process, steps and timeframe for prospective adoptive parents are outlined in
the Adoption Information Booklet , which is
publicly available on the WA Government website. In Western Australia, the
legislation governing adoption practice is the Adoption
Act 1994 , the Adoption Rules 1995 and the Adoption Regulations 1995.
This legislation sets out the requirements that prospective adoptive parents
are required to meet.

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