The Department of Communities is establishing the Western Australian Forced Adoption Reference Group to ensure people with lived experience of forced adoption have a central role in shaping the legislation, policies and practices that impact them.
The Forced Adoption Reference Group (Reference Group) will include individuals with direct lived experience of forced adoption, local peer support groups, and community sector organisations with professional expertise in forced adoption.
The experience and insight of members will help inform the WA Government’s implementation of the recommendations of Report 66 - Broken Bonds, Fractured Lives: Report on the Inquiry into Past Forced Adoption in Western Australia (Inquiry Report) tabled in the WA Parliament on 22 August 2024.
Consistent with the Terms of Reference of the Parliamentary Inquiry, membership will be open to individuals involved in an adoption in Western Australia between the years 1939 to 1980 and will be based on an individual’s self-identification as having experienced a forced adoption.
On the 22 October 2024 the Department of Communities opened the Expressions of Interest processes for the Reference Group. The Expression of Interest processes closed on the 31 January 2025.
Selection processes for the Reference Group are in progress.
The Reference Group will not be the only forum for Government consultation and communication and will be complemented by other stakeholder engagement processes.
To register your interest in updates on the progress of the Reference Group or other opportunities that may arise for consultation please contact the Forced Adoption Inquiry Implementation Team on 0403 137 530 or via forcedadoptionsinquiry@communities.wa.gov.au.
Western Australia Forced Adoption Reference Group online information session
An online Information Session was held by the Forced Adoptions Inquiry Implementation Team on Tuesday 3 December 2024.
The recording is available below.
If you have any questions or require support in completing your registration please contact the Forced Adoptions Inquiry Implementation Team on 0403 137 530 or at forcedadoptionsinquiry@communities.wa.gov.au.
