Adopt a child
Each year there are between 10 and 20 children placed for adoption by their parents in Victoria. These children are match to families that have been approved by Adoption Services Victoria.
The number of children requiring adoption has been relatively stable for the past twenty years. Find out more about changes to the number of adoptions each year since the 1970s.
Adoption Services Victoria are looking for people who can provide families for children requiring adoption. Find out more about the characteristic of families being sought.
Learn about adoption and the application process in Victoria by reading our website.
Some people seek to adopt a child they already know such as a relative or step child. This is a different process to other adoptions. Find out more about known child adoption.
The Adoption Act 1984 allows Australia to work with authorities from other countries to arrange adoptions. Families being considered for an overseas adoption also need to be on the Victorian Register of Approved Persons. Find out more about overseas adoption.
Adopt a child from Victoria
The purpose of the Victorian adoption program is to find families for children, not children for families.
Adopt a child from overseas
Adoption from another country is only considered when a country has exhausted all options to care for a child.
Adopt a child you know
Sometimes people want to adopt a step-child, a relative or a person who has been in their care.
Changes to the number of adoptions
Since adoption legislation was first introduced in 1928, around 64,000 Victorians have been adopted. The number of adoptions decreased after the 1970s but has been relatively stable for the past twenty years.
Needs of adopted children
Children who have been adopted are likely to have additional needs.
Support for families who have adopted a child
There is support available for families who have adopted a child in Victoria through the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (formerly the Department of Health and Human Services).
Updated 16 December 2025
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