Forced adoption support services scoping study Daryl Higgins, Pauline Kenny, Reem Sweid and Lucy Ockenden Report for the Department of Social Services by the Australian Institute of Family Studies February 2014

13.1Commonwealth Contribution to Former Forced Adoption Policies and Practices Inquiry

On 19 October 2010 the Premier of Western Australia delivered a parliamentary apology on behalf of state institutions for the practice of forced adoption, stating, “what happened was wrong, we need to acknowledge and state it as wrong” (Fenech, 2010). Following the Western Australian apology, on 15 November 2010, the Commonwealth Senate referred to the Community Affairs Reference Committee an inquiry into the former practices of forced adoption. The terms of reference of the Senate Inquiry were:

(a) the role, if any, of the Commonwealth Government, its policies and practices in contributing to forced adoptions; and

(b) the potential role of the Commonwealth in developing a national framework to assist states and territories to address the consequences for the mothers, their families and children who were subject to forced adoption policies. (Senate Inquiry, 2012, p. 1)

The Senate Inquiry received an overwhelming response to its request for submissions. The large volume and complexity of the submissions resulted in two extensions before the final report was delivered on the 29 February 2012. The Senate Inquiry report presented its view that the Commonwealth had played a limited role in the forced adoption policies and practices, but that the Commonwealth should consider taking a “lead role in addressing their consequences” (2012, p. 281).

14Findings from the Senate Inquiry

The report put forward a list of 20 recommendations into the former forced adoption policies and practices in Australia including a national apology to be delivered by the Commonwealth Government, the development of a national framework to address consequences of former forced adoption, and increased funding for relevant support services. (See Attachment A for all 20 recommendations put forward in the Senate Inquiry report.)

15Responses to the Senate Inquiry

State apologies

Following the release of the Committee’s final report, apologies for forced adoptions were provided by governments in all remaining Australian states as well as the ACT:

South Australia—18 July 2012

Australian Capital Territory—14 August 2012

New South Wales—20 September 2012

Tasmania—18 October 2012

Victoria—25 October 2012

Queensland—27 November 2012.

National Apology

At the forefront of the Australian Government’s response to the Senate Inquiry’s recommendations, was a national apology to the people affected by former forced adoption and removal policies and practices. The National Apology for Forced Adoptions (the “National Apology”) was delivered on 21 March 2013 by the then Prime Minister, the Hon. Julia Gillard, on behalf of the Australian Government. (For full responses to all of the recommendations put forward by the Committee see Attachment B.)

Notably the apology recognised the long-term impact of adoption and its wide reaching repercussions, and committed to facilitating access to the support needed by those affected. There were a number of aspects in particular that relate to current impacts and service responses:

We know you have suffered enduring effects from these practices forced upon you by others. For the loss, the grief, the disempowerment, the stigmatisation and the guilt, we say sorry. (Gillard, National Apology, para. 7)

We recognise that the consequences of forced adoption practices continue to resonate through many, many lives. To you, the siblings, grandparents, partners and other family members who have shared in the pain and suffering of your loved ones or who were unable to share their lives, we say sorry. (para. 12)

To redress the shameful mistakes of the past, we are committed to ensuring that all those affected get the help they need, including access to specialist counselling services and support, the ability to find the truth in freely available records and assistance in reconnecting with lost family. (para. 17)

Australian Government response to the Senate Committee recommendations

Along with the National Apology, and as part of the Australian Government’s response to the Senate Inquiry, the Australian Government announced the allocation of $11.5 million over the next four years to assist those affected by former forced adoption practices. This included:

$5 million to improve access to specialist support services, peer and professional counselling and supported records tracing for those affected by forced adoptions;

$5 million to:

develop guidelines and training materials for mental health professionals to assist in the diagnosis, treatment and care of those affected by forced adoption practices; and

increase capacity under the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPs) program, for general practitioners to refer those affected by forced adoption practices with a mild to moderate mental disorder to mental health professionals who deliver focused psychological strategies services; and

$1.5 million for a website and exhibition by the National Archives of Australia to record the experiences of those affected by forced adoption and increase awareness and understanding of these experiences in the community.

Forced Adoption Support Services Scoping Study

Recommendation 8 of the Senate Inquiry report stated:

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth, States and Territories urgently determine a process to establish affordable and regionally available specialised professional support and counselling services to address the specific needs of those affected by former forced adoption policies and practices. (Senate Community Affairs References Committee, p. xii)

The Australian Government specifically noted in their response to this recommendation, that a scoping study would be undertaken “of the services currently available and gaps in the service system for those affected by forced adoption”. The purpose of the Scoping Study is to provide guidance in relation to the:

establishment of specialist support and counselling services;

availability of peer-support groups;

extension of current family tracing and support services; and

extension of state and territory Find and Connect information services to include adoption service providers.

In August 2013, AIFS commenced the Forced Adoption Support Services Scoping Study, commissioned by the Department. The current document is the report on our findings.

Summary During the mid to late twentieth century (1940s to 1970s and 1980s in some cases), it was common practice for babies of unwed mothers to be adopted by married couples. Many of the infants were taken from their mothers at childbirth as a result of the extreme pressure and coercion that they experienced from family, social workers and hospital staff. These practices have been recognised as being unethical, immoral, and often illegal. There have been two state inquiries and one Commonwealth Senate inquiry into forced adoption practices. All three inquiries have found that the practices led to long-term impacts on mothers and adopted people as well as fathers, siblings and other family members. As a result of the Senate Inquiry findings, a national apology was given by the then Prime Minister on 21 March 2013. The Australian Government allocated $11.5 million, to June 2017, to provide further support to those affected by forced adoption and removal policies and practices. The Australian Government commissioned the Australian Institute of Family Studies to conduct a scoping study on the support services available to those affected by forced adoption practices.