Good news for Queenslanders

I was excited to read the following excerpt from a speech by Mike Reynolds, Minister for Child Safety.

“Over the last few weeks, I was very pleased to have had the 
opportunity to visit China and Korea. 

The purpose of my visits to these countries was to gain a first hand 
understanding of how the adoption programs are administered and to 
demonstrate our commitment to working together in partnership to 
ensure the best outcomes for children who have already been placed 
with Queensland families, and those who may be placed with our 
prospective adoptive families in the future.

I am pleased to say that both countries adoption authorities hold 
the Queensland administering body – the Department of Child Safety – 
Intercountry Adoption Unit – and our adoptive families in high 
regard. 

While in China I met with management and staff of the China Centre 
for Adoption Affairs, the central authority for adoption. The centre 
is recognised by the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children 
and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption. 

I also met with representatives of the China Women's Travel Service 
which assists Australian families with the adoption process in China.

The centre is committed to ensuring that their children's best 
interests are the paramount consideration in the delivery of 
adoption services. This is a requirement under the Hague 
Convention, to which China became a party in early 2006.

While visiting the China Centre for Adoption Affairs, I was able to 
see first hand their very efficient adoption processes. I was very 
impressed by the professionalism of their staff and the way in which 
the matching of children to their adoptive family is undertaken.

While I am aware that there has been an increase in applications to 
China generally from overseas prospective adoptive families, I am 
pleased to inform you that the China Centre for Adoption Affairs 
advised that they were interested in receiving more files of 
approved prospective adoptive families from Queensland.

This is welcome news, as there is no limit to the number of files 
that any one Australian state or territory can send to China. 

The department will be taking up this request further in relation to 
the number of files sent from Queensland.

While in China, I was also privileged to be invited to visit one of 
the orphanages in which children are cared for prior to their 
placement with their adoptive families. The facilities were very 
well maintained and the children well provided for, including having 
access to a resident paediatrician.”