INTRODUCTION
8.1 In recent years there has been a gradual reduction in the number of intercountry adoptions both in New South Wales and in Australia as a whole. In the years 1989 to 1994, there was an average of 90 placements in New South Wales in each year. By comparison, there were 69 placements in 1995 and 24 placements to 31 May 1996.
8.2 The number of overseas-born children adopted in the whole of Australia peaked at 420 in 1989-901, but by 1992-93 had decreased by 46% to 227 and has remained virtually unchanged since then.2
NEW SOUTH WALES
8.3 Graph 1 shows arrivals of intercountry adoptees in New South Wales from 1977 to 1996, indicates the growth and decline of intercountry adoption.
8.4 Table 19 shows the number of children from overseas placed in homes in New South Wales, giving a breakdown by the country of origin. The parent support group supporting a program in each country is also shown. Included in these statistics are the countries which communicate directly with DOCS and with whom there is no parent support group involvement. These countries have been included to give a complete picture of the total number of adoptees coming to New South Wales and to allow comparisons.
Graph 1 converted into Table: Arrivals of intercountry adoptees in New South Wales 1977-1995*
Year | Number of Arrivals |
1996 | 70 |
1995 | 70 |
1994 | 95 |
1993 | 84 |
1992 | 77 |
1991 | 82 |
1990 | 105 |
1989 | 99 |
1988 | 151 |
1987 | 198 |
1986 | 188 |
1985 | 145 |
1984 | 199 |
1983 | 115 |
1982 | 105 |
1981 | 86 |
1980 | 66 |
1979 | 79 |
1978 | 70 |
1977 | 20 |
* Shown as a graph in the print edition of this Research Report
Table 19: Intercountry adoptions by non-relatives - New South Wales 1990-963
Country of birth | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | To Mar '96 | Parent Support Group |
Bolivia | Nil | Nil | 1 | Nil | 3 | 2 | 2 | AFC |
Brazil | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Nil | 2 | Nil | ACOB |
Chile | 4 | 7 | 4 | Nil | 1 | 1 | Nil | AFC; CASA |
Colombia | 13 | 11 | 11 | 17 | 35 | 18 | Nil | AFC; Friends |
Costa Rica | 2 | 2 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | AFC |
Fiji | 2 | 1 | 2 | Nil | 1 | 2 | Nil | DOCS |
India | 7 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 5 | AFC; ASIAC |
Philippines | 4 | 6 | Nil | Nil | 3 | 2 | Nil | ASIAC; DOCS |
Republic of Korea | 38 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 3 | ASIAC |
Sri Lanka | 12 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 2 | Nil | ASIAC ICA |
Taiwan | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | ASIAC |
Thailand | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 3 | ASICA |
Other* | 2 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 3 | DOCS |
TOTAL | 96 | 91 | 75 | 81 | 92 | 69 | 19 | |
[Link to text only version of table]
* "Other" includes China, Ethopia, Guatemala, Hong King, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Peru, Poland, Romania, Serbia, United Kingdom and Unites States. All intercountry adoptions from these countries were processed directly by DOCS.
8.5 Table 20 compares non-relative adoptions in New South Wales of Australian-born children and overseas-born children. The numbers do not correspond exactly with the statistics in Table 19 for two reasons. First, Table 19 shows numbers recorded in a calendar year. Table 20 uses the financial year, that is from 1 July in one year until 30 June in the following year. Secondly, Table 20 includes placement of children who were born overseas but have not necessarily come into Australia on an intercountry adoption program. For example, the adoptive parents may have resided in the overseas country for 12 months or more and adopted their child during their residency.
Table 20: Non-relative adoptions New South Wales, 1987/8-1994/54
Year | Australian born adoptees | Percentage of total | Overseas born adoptees | Percentage of total | Total |
1987-88 | 171 | 62% | 105 | 38% | 276 |
1988-89 | 184 | 55.5% | 148 | 44.5% | 332 |
1989-90 | 144 | 40% | 216 | 60% | 360 |
1990-91 | 158 | 49% | 162 | 51% | 320 |
1991-92 | 151 | 50% | 145 | 49% | 296 |
1992-93 | 110 | 54% | 95 | 46% | 205 |
1993-94 | 98 | 52.5% | 89 | 47.5% | 187 |
1994-95 | 123 | 59% | 85 | 41% | 208 |
[Link to text only version of table]
AUSTRALIA
8.6 The following table compares non-relative adoptions in Australia of Australian-born children and overseas-born children.
Table 21: Non-relative adoptions - Australia 1987/8-1994/55
Year | Australian born adoptees | Percentage of total | Overseas born adoptees | Percentage of total | Total |
1987-88 | 578 | 65% | 308 | 35% | 886 |
1988-89 | 606 | 61% | 394 | 39% | 1000 |
1989-90 | 547 | 56.5% | 420 | 43.5% | 967 |
1990-91 | 472 | 54.5% | 393 | 45.5% | 865 |
1991-92 | 418 | 55% | 338 | 45% | 756 |
1992-93 | 306 | 57.5% | 227 | 42.5% | 533 |
1993-94 | 314 | 58.5% | 222 | 41.5% | 536 |
1994-95 | 311 | 28% | 224 | 42% | 535 |
[Link to text only version of table]
Table 22: Intercountry adoptions by non-relatives - Australia
Country of birth | 1990-916 | 1991-927 | 1992-938 | 1993-949 | 1994-9510 |
Brazil | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | Nil |
Cambodia | 10 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
Chile | Nil | 9 | 15 | 6 | Nil |
Colombia | Nil | 15 | 26 | 22 | 16 |
Fiji | 11 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
Guatamala | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 11 |
Hong Kong | 11 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
India | 41 | 41 | 20 | 22 | 29 |
Philippines | 30 | 37 | 17 | 14 | 22 |
Republic of Korea | 201 | 106 | - | 64 | 71 |
Sri Lanka | 24 | 43 | 38 | 33 | 18 |
Thailand | 15 | 34 | 22 | 20 | 25 |
Other overseas | 38 | 299 | 26 | 27 | 26 |
TOTAL | 393 | 338 | 227 | 222 | 224 |
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[Link to text only version of table]
FOOTNOTES
1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Child Welfare Series: Adoptions Australia 1994-95, No 14 (AGPS, Canberra) at 21.
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Child Welfare Series: Adoptions Australia 1992-93, No 7 (AGPS, Canberra) at 1, 29.
3. Department of Community Services, Adoption Branch “Intercountry Adoption Statistics”.
4. Adoptions Australia 1994-95 at 28.
5. Adoptions Australia 1994-95 at 28.
6. Adoptions Australia 1990-91 at 13.
7. Adoptions Australia 1991-92 at 15.
8. Adoptions Australia 1992-93 at 21.
9. Adoptions Australia 1993-94 at 24.
10. Adoptions Australia 1994-95 at 23.
