Kikkert recognises Adoption Awareness Week

This week marks National Adoption Awareness Week for 2016. Shadow Minister for Families, Youth and Community Services, Elizabeth Kikkert has confirmed the Canberra Liberals support for prioritised processing and more streamlined opportunities for adoption within the Canberra community.

“National Adoption Awareness Week was designed to raise awareness of adoption and to provide education to ensure the needs of children and families can be supported to form permanent, loving homes,” Mrs Kikkert said today.

“It is at this time that we are reminding the ACT Government of the urgency to prioritise faster processing of adoptions in the ACT court system.

“In 2014-15 there were just nine adoptions in the ACT: two inter-country adoptions and seven ‘known’ adoptions which include adoptions by step-parents, relatives and carers.

“There are many families in our community that are concerned about the length of time the local adoption process takes. Securing permanency for children and young people where it is in their best interests is pivotal to their development.

“Every child deserves a permanent loving family and I will continue to work with the community and ACT Government on more streamlined opportunities to secure permanency for some very vulnerable children and young people.

“I also take this opportunity to commend Adopt Change on the important work they do to raise awareness for adoptions within Australia,” Mrs Kikkert concluded.