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

84New South Wales

Table 4: Services available in New South Wales

Service name	Service type	Services offered
Adoption Information Unit, Department of Family and Community Services	Adoption information service	Provides identifying information Administers registers Facilitates reunions in special cases Short-term support
Origins (NSW)	Peer-support group	Telephone support Monthly support meetings General awareness Advocacy Provides information on searching and facilitates meetings/reunions
Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC)—Benevolent Society *	Post-adoption support service	Assessment and case planning Counselling and case management—provided face-to-face, by telephone and Skype Access to records and search services Access to mental health services Mediation and brokerage assistance based on assessment of need Healing retreats Training for regional counsellors Educational resources
Salvation Army—NSW Special Search Services Tracing Services *	Search and contact service	Information and support Short-term telephone counselling Assistance in making contact Search and mediation Referral to other services
The Apology Alliance	Peer-support group	Peer support Advocacy Research and information

Information services

The Adoption Information Unit in NSW is operated within the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS). The Unit is responsible for providing identifying information to parties involved in adoption. Additionally, the Unit administers relevant registerers such as the Reunion and Information Register, the Contact Veto Register and the Advance Notice Register. While the Unit does not usually provide search and connect services it does offer support, mediation and outreach in some cases.

In response to the NSW apology on 20 September 2012, FACS abolished all fees it charges for adoption information services for adopted people and (birth) parents. In addition, the NSW Government announced an increase in funding of up to $900,000 over three years to the Benevolent Society’s Post Adoption Resource Centre, with a particular focus on the provision of support in rural and regional areas.

The FACS website provides a link to the NSW Apology for Forced Adoptions, however there is no statement regarding forced adoptions per se as a prominent feature on the website.

Post-adoption support services

The largest provider of post-adoption support services in NSW is the Benevolent Society’s Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC). As described above, PARC provides a wide range of services to all parties to adoption as well as wider family members such as siblings and partners, including:

counselling (individual, family therapy, group) with the option of face-to-face, telephone or Skype;

information;

assistance with accessing identifying information—e.g., records in hospitals, adoption service providers and government departments;

intermediary services;

referral to mental health professionals;

reports and information sheets regarding all aspects of search and reunion;

newsletters;

training for regional counsellors;

dissemination of educational resources;

mediation and brokerage assistance based on assessment of need; and

healing retreats.

PARC has the most comprehensive set of information sheets of all post-adoption services nationally, with more than 38 published on their website.

The Benevolent Society remains the largest recipient of NSW government funds allocated to providing support needs for those affected by forced adoption in NSW. In response to a recommendation from the NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues (Parliament of NSW, 2000) the Department of Community Services funded PARC to produce and distribute a post-adoption resource and training kit for counsellors with a particular focus for counsellors in regional NSW. In 2004, the Benevolent Society published Adoption in NSW: An Information and Resource Kit for Counsellors and Practitioners in Regional NSW (Young, 2004). This guide to adoption in NSW includes information on the relevant legal framework and a comprehensive overview of the issues facing all parties in an adoption. In 2005, the Benevolent Society also published the Intermediary Services in Post Adoption Reunion: A Resource and Training Guide for Counsellors Assisting in Family Reunion (Armstrong, Ormerod, & Young, 2005), which includes structured models for formal mediation and sample letters to parties sent to facilitate the mediation. This booklet is available for sale from the Benevolent Society.

Both of these resources are currently being reviewed and updated to reflect the recent changes in Adoption legislation in NSW (personal communication, 7 January 2014).

PARC offers three training packages to individuals, groups and originations interested in learning more about the history, impacts and service delivery for those affected by forced adoption. These training packages include:

a 2-hour presentation discussing the basics of the history and impacts of post adoption (normally for organisations or school counsellors);

a half-day presentation for counsellors and practitioners; and

full-day training for counsellors and psychologists with specific clinical information and case discussions.

The training sessions were initially established in 2005 and were delivered until 2007 when they were stopped due to a lack of demand. In 2013, the trainings were re-established and are currently being reviewed and updated (personal communication, 6 January 2014).

As previously mentioned, the organisation is to receive up to a further $900,000 over three years as a result of the 2012 Apology for Former Forced Adoptions by the NSW Government.

There has been some discontent from stakeholders about the provision of further funding to agencies seen to be implicated with past adoption practices (Tovey, 2012). As cited in Tovey, Christine Cole, mother and convener of the NSW-based Apology Alliance explained:

Nor do I consider privileging a government-funded organisation originally staffed by those responsible for the theft of our children adequate.

Cole suggested that access to independent trauma counselling could be improved as an alternative way of administering government funds.

A statement of apology was issued on 31 October 2011 by the Benevolent Society for its involvement in past adoptions:

We recognise and acknowledge that unmarried women in our care from the 1940s to the 1980s were not always given the care and respect that they needed during this difficult period of their lives and were sometimes coerced to give up children for adoption. We also recognise and acknowledge our involvement in arranging adoptions in the past through the adoption agency we ran at Scarba House.

However, there has been some criticism of the apology in that there was an absence of recognition that many of the practices were illegal, and perceived lack of consultation with mothers directly affected by forced adoption about the nature and wording of the apology.

Support groups

Two peer-support groups operating in NSW that have the most prominence are Origins SPSA Inc. and the Apology Alliance (including the White Stolen Generation group). These groups predominantly support mothers subjected to forced adoptions, and have been instrumental in lobbying for inquiries into past adoption practices and apologies from governments and institutions.

NSW Origins SPSA Inc.

As described in the ACT services section, Origins SPSA Inc. is a peer-support and advocacy group primarily for mothers but also providing support to adopted persons and some fathers. A support group meeting is run in Sydney once a month.

The Origins website provides a range of information pertaining to the history of the group, commentary on adoption-related issues, personal stories, links to research and relevant historical information regarding forced adoptions.

The Apology Alliance

The Apology Alliance is an advocacy-based group whose activities are centred on education and lobbying for justice and recognition of forced adoptions via federal and state government apologies. The White Stolen Generation group is affiliated with the Apology Alliance. The group has historically offered peer support, but it is difficult to access information about any formalised meeting times.

The Apology Alliance also runs a blog where relevant research and historical information links are posted, as well as playing host to discussion forums.

Other peer-support groups

Smaller support groups exist in NSW that have been facilitated by PARC initially, and have then branched out to become independent groups. While we are aware of the existence of more informal peer groups running in local areas, there is limited formalised information available. Referral to such groups is generally via word of mouth/through other existing groups.

Groups are comprised of a mix of all parties to adoption—some may be exclusive, while others encourage a range of perspectives to be shared in order to further education and awareness of the diversity of issues, needs and resources available that have/have not been useful.

Other services

While there are no services existing that are specific to forced adoption, as in other jurisdictions, referrals to private providers of psychological services with some experience of adoption-related issues occurs through existing networks. However, there appears to be a limited supply of professionals who have this level of speciality.

Non-government agencies such as Anglicare and CatholicCare who will provide some services associated with obtaining records and additional support throughout that process can also be used in NSW.

Service interaction and pathways of referral

To the best of our knowledge, there are no formalised links between the range of adoption services in NSW. Informal and professional relationships may exist across individual agencies and workers whereby referrals are made and received, however there is no succinct “system” of service provision.

Good practice principles and the NSW service system

Table 5: The NSW service system measured against the good practice principles

Measures
Accountability	NSW has made an apology to those affected by former forced adoptions, but there is only limited visibility of this on the FACS website. There is no link to the National Apology. The Benevolent Society (PARC) has made an apology for the organisation’s role in past practices, but there is little accessible information about it. There is no mention of it on their website, for example. The link to the transcript of their apology that is used in other online sources is no longer active. In NSW, access to mental health professionals and support services specialised in forced adoption issues are mainly provided through PARC. For people who choose not to engage with services that are involved in past adoption, accessing appropriate mental health services may be difficult. Complaints processes are unclear at all service levels. Most groups are run by volunteers and there is no governing committee overseeing their services. Origins has a committee comprised of members of the organisation. There are no clear complaints processes stipulated in the information available on their website. PARC has no obvious/clear formal complaints process—there is, however, a contact/query form on their website. It remains unclear what administrative data (if any) is collected by agencies.
Accessibility (including affordability)	Information services and PARC services are free. Hospitals, BDM and court fees, however, are still in place. Business hours of operation for information and PARC services; peer groups have broader availability. Origins have strong lobbying focus, which many other stakeholders describe as exclusionary and divisive. Services are generally metro-centric in terms of face-to-face support available. Government services are provided during business hours only. Peer groups have ongoing availability, however this is often reliant on the convener of the group to coordinate. Timeliness of responses will be variable.
Efficacy and quality	PARC states that their services are provided by trained professionals. Community-based peer-support groups are not facilitated by therapists. Origins states that they provide counselling, but there is no evidence of staff being trained therapists. There is clear information regarding the philosophies of the group. It is unclear what professional development and ongoing supervision opportunities (if any) are available to staff.
Diversity	The state department (FACS) that offers information services is the same department that is in charge of current adoptions and therefore not necessarily regarded as being independent. The only funded post-adoption support service is one that was involved in past practices—there is a strong sense of mistrust of the Benevolent Society in NSW among a number of those affected by forced adoption. PARC, along with a number of other NGOs in NSW, is involved in current adoptions and supporting adoptive parents—again, causes division among some affected by forced adoption. PARC do offer an extensive range of options for providing alternative modes of support (i.e., Skype, online counselling, etc.). However, the services available are very metro-centric. There is variability in who is welcome to attend support groups. Availability of services is variable—FACS operates during office hours; PARC has business hours of operation; support groups have wider availability, however the support available will be variable regionally.
Continuity of care	There is a history of tension existing between support/peer groups that has been damaging to some individuals seeking support. This has resulted in a degree of mistrust and division throughout the forced adoption community in NSW. Referrals across groups will have subsequently been impacted. Little information exists regarding professionals who specialise in adoption. There are no formalised relationships between agencies to provide a distinct and seamless process for those accessing support.

Summary

While the Benevolent Society’s PARC is the largest receiver of state government funds to deliver services to those affected by forced adoptions in NSW, there remains tension in the community regarding the Benevolent Society’s role in former forced adoptions; their provision of services to adoptive families; and their involvement in current adoptions. The organisation provided an apology for its role in former forced adoptions in 2011, however there is no information pertaining to either their own organisation’s apology or the subsequent state or federal apologies for forced adoptions on their website. This is a key concern in consideration of the best practice principle of accountability and transparency.

There is a history of division amongst a number of peer-support and advocacy/lobbyist groups in NSW that has impacted on the level of availability of such services to a range of people seeking support. With little evidence of independent advisory groups/boards overseeing the delivery of peer-support services to those affected by forced adoptions, there remains a lack of accountability for potentially damaging and harmful practices to those seeking support. The increasing shift to unmoderated online forums for support in lieu of “on the ground” services that are available has been raised as a significant concern by service providers participating in the consultations.