The number of adoptions has reached a record low in Australia, with young people opting against having children due to rising living costs, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Monash University’s 2023 Australian Youth Barometer.
The total rate of adoptions is also the lowest for New South Wales, with a total of 105 in 2023.
The number of finalised adoptions in Australia in 2022-2023 was 201, a decrease from 330 in 2017-2018.
AIHW Statistics by UOWTV
A reason for the decrease, according to the 2023 Australian Youth Barometer, is more than half of young Australians are not planning to have children because they expect to be less financially stable than their parents.
Undergraduate in law and arts at the University of Wollongong Siobhan Heywood plans for a career in law, but said prioritising her career as a young woman in an unstable economy had left her unsure about the prospect of having children.
“Every time I think about the possibility of having children, my mind immediately goes to the world at large, which is crazy and really stressful,” Miss Heywood said.
“Our generation in particular is very conscious of what children need in terms of financial support, in terms of education, in terms of emotional support.
“I think it’s baffling to consider that people don’t think about these things when they choose to care for a child.”
2023 Australian Youth Barometer by Minh Thieu
Principal Officer of Adoptions at Barnardos Australia’s Shellharbour Centre Olivia Rennie said financial stability is a key factor in the process of adopting a child.
“Increased financial pressure increases the vulnerability of children and families generally,” Ms Rennie said.
“Individual applicants are often not denied solely on their financial state, however this forms part of their application, ensuring they can provide for the child and young person now and later in life.
“Open adoption applications involve extensive case work by the authorised agencies and significant legal work to file an application for adoption in the NSW Supreme Court.”
The average price of a local adoption in NSW can be more than $3,000 and intercountry adoption fees are roughly $10,000, but each non-government agency in NSW can set its own rate.
This cost of adopting a child, let alone raising them in a healthy environment, has become a struggle for Australians since 2020, as seen in the graph below, due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment and inflation.
AIHW Statistics by UOWTV
The struggle for Australians to remain financially stable enough to raise a healthy child in 2023 has left more children waiting for adoption, as noted in the graph.
Ms Rennie said once an adoption order is finalised, payments are available annually, however more government support is needed.
“[There should be] greater support in permanency planning…and in supporting children and young people to return to their families when safe to do so, reside with kin, seek guardianship or open adoption,” Ms Rennie said.
The AIHW’s 2023-2024 report is expected to be released next year.
Additional reporting by Minh Thieu