March 17th, 2022Apology for forced adoption

Victorian women who had their children taken from them under heartbreaking historic forced adoption practices will receive redress, counselling and formal apologies from the Victorian Government.
The state government is investing more than $4 million in response to last year’s Parliamentary Inquiry into Historical Forced Adoption in Victoria, including a plan to design and establish Australia’s first redress scheme for people affected by forced adoption.
The funding will immediately provide crisis counselling, as well as the option of integrated birth certificates which include the names of both the adopted person’s natural parents and their adoptive parents.
A $500,000 hardship fund will be established to provide discretionary payments to mothers affected by forced adoption with exceptional circumstances, including those who are terminally ill. A further $200,000 in funding will assist community groups to support applicants.
In 1984, Victoria was the first Australian jurisdiction to legislate for openness and properly informed consent in adoption – and continues to lead the way in making amends for these unacceptable historical policies and practices.
In 2012, the Victorian Government issued a formal apology to those harmed by past adoption practices and pledged to provide practical assistance to them.