Support for families who have adopted a child

General Family Support

Some families need support when they are experiencing difficulties that impact on their parenting and family life. This includes families that have adopted.

Regional Parenting Services (Statewide)

Regional Parenting Services provide support to parents and carers of children from birth to 18 years to help you gain the skills and confidence to support your child's development.

This free service provides parents with information, parenting education and individual and group-based support.

The Orange Door and family services

The Orange Door is an easily accessible, community-based point of entry for children, young people and families needing support.

While Orange Door provides specialist support to women, children and young people who are experiencing family violence, it also provides entry point into family services, for families who need assistance.

Specialist Support Services

Families may also seek support from Permanent Care Adoptive Families or the Intercountry Adoption Family Support Service.

Permanent Care and Adoptive Families

Permanent Care and Adoptive (PCA) Families is a not-for-profit member representative organisation with lived experience foundations. Their purpose is to support permanent care, kinship care and adoptive families to help their children to thrive through the delivery of individual support and peer support services. PCA Families also operates a Helpline and offers flexible funding for eligible families.

Intercountry Adoption Family Support Service

The Intercountry Adoption Family Support Service is a free, independent, nation-wide service available to couples, families and individuals who are engaged in the intercountry adoption process. The service also provides post placement support to children and their families, including expatriate adoptions and adult intercountry adoptees.

The service provides counselling support and case management services to assist with a range of issues and challenges unique to the intercountry adoption experience.

Financial Support

When a child is adopted from Victoria and has additional needs, as prescribed by the Adoption Act 1984, the family may be provided with care-giver payments prior to the adoption order being made. This payment is provided as a care allowance.

If you are receiving a care allowance and have any questions about financial assistance, you can contact:

• Adoption Services Victoria via email at adoptionsvic@justice.vic.gov.au
• Care Allowance Helpdesk (DFFH) on 1300 552 319 or at careallowance.mgt@support.vic.gov.au

Adoption Information

You can contact the Adoption Information Services (AIS) if you are:

• seeking information or a copy of a document from the adoption record
• seeking assistance to contact a natural family member of the child
• providing information updates about the child.