Fed: Anthony concerned adoptions low, abuse levels high

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2003
Fed: Anthony concerned adoptions low, abuse levels high

CANBERRA, Dec 9 AAP - Adoptions in Australia had dropped to fewer than 500 a year despite
the fact that 20,000 children had to be removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect,
the federal government said today.

An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report found only 472 Australian babies
were put up for adoption in the 12 months to June 30, 2003 - down 16 per cent on the 561
adoptions the previous year.

Federal Minister for Children Larry Anthony said the figure seemed very low given the
population had topped the 20 million mark last week.

"Although numbers of adoptions have fluctuated in the past decade, they have generally
followed the downward trend that began in the early 1970s, falling from 1,052 in 1991-92
to the current level of just 472 in 2002-03," he said.

"It is a concern to me that we have around 20,000 children physically removed from
their homes each year due to child abuse and neglect.

"More than 9,000 of these children end up in foster care and many have multiple placements."

Mr Anthony said he hoped an agreement by governments to develop a National Plan for
Foster Children would see an improvement in adoption numbers to give children at risk
a better sense of security and permanency in their lives.

AAP sm/sb/bwl

KEYWORD: ADOPTIONS ANTHONY

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