ENQUIRE

Search

Home › For you › Relationships and kids › Children’s issues › Adoption

Adoption

Adoption lawyers - Stacks Law Firm

When you have made the decision to adopt a child, you want the process to be swift and free of complications. A Stacks family law expert will be able to explain the process and assist you through the requirements of the relevant accredited adoption services in your state.

Adoption is when an adult is granted the legal and other responsibilities for a child, creating a permanent parent-child relationship and prescribing parental responsibility for the child. There are different legal processes to navigate depending on the situation in which adoption is occurring, and which state of Australia you reside in.

Stacks Law Firm is here to help you navigate through the adoption process with sensitivity and efficiency.

Need to speak to a family lawyer about an adoption matter? Call us today

Commonly asked questions about adoption

Adoption is the legal process by which all of the legal rights and obligations of a child are transferred to his or her adoptive parents, with the child joining the family as a recognised family member. The adoptive parents assume all parental responsibility for the child, while the birth parents cease to have any parental rights over the child. Adoption removes the legal relationship between the child and the birth parents.

Adoption arrangements differ depending on the state in which you reside.

Recent changes to the Adoption Act have meant that the adoption process is administered through Community Services in NSW. The process is now more streamlined and fairer for couples, and importantly, the rights of the child are better protected.

Family and Community Services is the government agency responsible for providing adoption services for NSW. The agency works with birth parents who are considering adoption for their child and with families who wish to adopt.

There are set adoption procedures and requirements to follow in applying to adopt a child, including filling out an Expression of Interest form, attending a preparation for adoption seminar, and filing a formal application for adoption. You can find out more about the adoption process for adoptive applicants, including the costs and the criteria for prospective adoptive parents, at the Family and Community Services website.

In Queensland, Adoption Services is responsible for the provision of adoption services. There are very specific criteria that must be met for a person to be eligible to adopt a child. If you meet these criteria, you need to follow an established set of procedures, including filing an Expression of Interest form. Once this is done, you will be notified if you meet the eligibility requirements, and will then have your name entered into the expression of interest register.

If selected from this register, you will be sent a notice of selection for assessment. The number of people to be selected for assessment from the expression of interest register varies each year, as the number of assessments is based on the anticipated needs of children likely to require adoptive placements.

Should you not receive a notice of selection for assessment within two years, your expression of interest expires, and you can then decide whether or not to lodge another expression of interest.

Latest from Stacks

bank of mum and dad, BOMAD, bank of dad, loan, gift, family loan, financial support, property, mortgage, cost of living, Centrelink, age pension, guarantor, borrowing capacity, credit score, security, documented, divorce, Deed, verbal agreement
19 Oct 2023

Trouble at the bank of mum and dad – the horror story edition on family loans

by David Crossan, Tweed Heads and Anneka Frayne, Tamworth
Unaffordable housing leads to reliance on bank of mum and dad As Australia ...
Read the full story
superannuation, super, super fund, asset, will, estate, estate planning, super fund trustee, dependant, executor, beneficiary, death benefit, intestacy, SMSF
02 Aug 2023

Where does my superannuation go when I die?

by Joshua Crowther, Taree
The average amount Australians have in superannuation is $147,000. Many of ...
Read the full story
break and enter, intruder, trespass, entry, premises, dwelling, lease, residential tenancy, agreement, lessee, indictable offence, intimidation, aggravation, corporal violence, Crimes Act, Crown, Court of Criminal Appeal, appeal, High Court, convicted, apprehended violence order
13 Jul 2023

High Court rules it’s not “break and enter” if the intruder’s name is on the lease

by John Gooley, Hornsby
Ex-partner accused of break and enter In a recent case involving a break and ...
Read the full story
disclosure, disclosure requirements, information, documents, family law, divorce, couple, separation, assets, liabilities, financial information, bank account, income, expenses, tax return, financial statement, credit union, parenting, employment, criminal record, parent, child
05 Jul 2023

Disclosure requirements in family law – what am I meant to provide?

by Anneka Frayne, Tamworth and Felicity Marchant, Laurieton
Disclosure plays a critical role in family law proceedings in Australia. The ...
Read the full story
divorce doula, divorce, support, support person, client, coaching, paperwork, communication, conflict resolution, parenting plan, unregulated, unregulated profession, regulation, confidentiality, ethics
01 Jun 2023

What on earth is a divorce doula?

by Anneka Frayne, Tamworth
Going through a divorce can be a challenging, complex and emotionally draining ...
Read the full story
21 Apr 2023

Guilty or not guilty – could computers replace judges in a court of law?

by Anneka Frayne, Tamworth
Weighing up the pros and cons of a case, discarding irrelevancies, assessing the...
Read the full story
best interests of the child, parent, parenting, child, children, best interests, family law, Family Court, custody, custody dispute, parenting dispute, children's lawyer, child abuse, family violence
14 Mar 2023

Focus on best interests of the child in planned changes to family law

by Felicity Marchant, Laurieton
Australia’s family law is facing substantial changes under federal government ...
Read the full story
declared dead, legally dead, deceased, missing person, missing, body, assets, will, remarry, presumed dead, presumed alive, natural disaster, mudslide, avalanche, disappearance, murder, misadventure, vanish
21 Feb 2023

Someone vanishes – how long before they can be declared dead?

by Joshua Crowther, Taree
Someone disappears. Years go by and they are still missing. There is no message,...
Read the full story
coercive, coercive control, domestic violence, homicide, physical violence, victim, survivor, financial abuse, verbal abuse, belittling, jealousy, threats, intimidation, police, criminalise, emotional abuse
30 Nov 2022

Coercive control to be a crime in NSW and Queensland

by Anneka Frayne, Tamworth
Both NSW and Queensland are expected to criminalise coercive control by the end ...
Read the full story
executors, will, probate, beneficiary, estate, disbursement, inheritance, affidavit, trustee, executor, funeral
27 Oct 2022

What exactly do executors of wills do?

by Joshua Crowther, Taree
What are the responsibilities of executors? Every will needs an executor to ...
Read the full story
dying without a will, testator, intestate, beneficiary, de facto, Succession Act, inherit, inheritance, superannuation, death benefit, CPI
12 Oct 2022

Your baby, your de facto, your ex – why dying without a will is a very bad idea

by Anneka Frayne, Tamworth
Dying without a will can lead to many problems for your loved ones in dealing ...
Read the full story
loans to family, loan, gift, borrower, money, sum, asset, agreement, document, bankrupt
29 Sep 2022

Gifts and loans to family members

by Anneka Frayne, Tamworth
It is not uncommon for people to give gifts or loans to family members, whether ...
Read the full story
View all news and articles
“ I had the most genuine and caring lawyer, the first time I had needed one after an accident. The way he respectfully gave me the time to answer my questions and guide me through my everything was truly amazing. ”
Tineke HawiraBundall
“ These guys are terrific, they made what seemed to be difficult for me an easier journey, with caring professional advice and assistance. Great work team. ”
Georgie ApperlooTaree
“ I was treated with care, respect and the understanding that my matter had a huge impact on my livelihood and life. In court, my case was presented sensitively and thoroughly to the judge. The outcome was far better than I expected and my job was saved. ”
Julian KnyshHornsby
“ First class quick and efficient service. Helpful and considerate when difficulties arose. Highly recommended. ”
Roger BrowneBowral
“ I couldn't speak more highly of the work Stacks did for me, they stuck with me and kept me on track over a very drawn out case and achieved an amazing result. ”
Harley McGrathTaree

Why Stacks Law Firm

What makes Stacks different and why you should choose us.

Stacks is the steady hand you can trust, the lawyers you know. The ones who care about where you’re from, what you’re going through and who treat you like a person, not just another case.

With the attention of one lawyer, backed by the expertise of many, we’re the only legal provider in Australia that gives businesses and everyday people access to expert legal services through a network of reputable local offices.

Legal challenges can feel confusing, even intimidating, but we know what you’re going through, we know the legal terrain, we view your case individually, and we can offer the care, reassurance and expertise to guide you every step of the way.

call us now


No hidden fees
We’ll always be honest and upfront. We’ll look you straight in the eye and agree on a plan before moving forward.

Deep expertise
We know the ropes and our professionals have expertise specific to every legal situation—many are Accredited Specialists.

Practical advice not legalese
We speak clearly and directly, so you understand our advice and can make decisions with confidence.

20+ local offices
We’re local to wherever you are, and our offices are owned and operated by friendly, local professionals, proud of their communities.

Real client care
We genuinely care about our clients. It’s the core of who we are and has been since the first practice was opened by ER Stack on the NSW Mid-North Coast in 1931.

Progressive practise
We make the process easy for you with the latest tech to keep services cost effective—and you in control.



WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Complete the form to contact us today

We’re here to listen to your story anytime. We can help you understand how things work, give you confidence and guide you through your options. We’ll be honest and upfront, agreeing on what you need and how much it will cost. Your enquiry is completely confidential.

Find an office Find a lawyer Chat

Fill out this form and one of our local law professionals will be in contact

By submitting this form you agree to the terms of our Privacy policy