Past adoptions

• Apology for past forced adoption practices

  The Queensland Parliament made an historic formal apology for past forced adoption policies and practices on 27 November 2012.

  • Frequently asked questions

  • Support services and further information

• Access to information

  Adoption and Specialist Support Services assists people to access information about an adoption that occurred in Queensland.

  • Access to identifying information before an adopted person is 18 years of age

  • Access to identifying information – adopted person is an adult and adoption order made before 1 June 1991

  • Access to identifying information – adopted person is an adult and adoption order made after 1 June 1991

• Mailbox service

  Parties to an adoption, including adult adopted people, may exchange non-identifying information via the mailbox service which is operated by Adoption and Specialist Support Services.

• Contact statements and privacy safeguards

  A contact statement is a document that sets out a person's wishes about being contacted by another party, or parties, to the same adoption who may ask for information about the person.

• Non-identifying medical information

  Adoption information about past adoptions and accessing personal medical information.

• Restricting access to information

  The Adoption Act 2009 enables the Queensland Children's Court to make an order preventing the release of someone's identifying information to another person, if doing so would pose an unacceptable risk of harm.