Adoption & Permanent Care

CatholicCare Victoria (CCV) will cease providing Permanent Care and Adoption Support from 30 June 2024

CatholicCare Victoria (CCV) has made the difficult decision to cease providing Permanent Care and Adoption Support from the end of June 2024.  

In collaboration with our funding partners, the Department of Families Fairness and Housing (DFFH) for Permanent Care, and the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) for Adoption, our priority and focus will be to the support and welfare of children, young people and families.

Permanent Care

• There will be a gradual transfer of children in Permanent Care, before and after a Permanent Care Order during May and June (or longer if required), to a new provider.
• We will work closely with all stakeholders involved in a child’s care to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
• CCV has ceased taking new child referrals for family finding.
• In relation to adults seeking to become Permanent Carers, CCV has ceased taking new applicants who are seeking to be accredited as carers. Our last Permanent Care information session was held in February and participants were provided with contact information for other Permanent Care agencies they can contact if they would like to pursue training and assessment.
• We have contacted all the carers we are supporting and will provide additional support material and contact details of new providers.

Adoption

Following legislative reform in Victoria, all adoptions are now managed centrally by the Department of Justice & Community Safety (DJCS) – Adoptions Victoria.

Adoptions Victoria, have extensive experience in managing and delivering services to individuals who are wishing to be considered for Local Adoption, Inter-Country Adoption, Adoption Information Services, and a range of other services. In addition to this, there are three other agencies who continue to provide Adoption Support, Options Counselling and Assessment Services. Please see: https://www.vic.gov.au/consider-adoption-my-child

• We have commenced working with Adoptions Victoria to transfer current cases to the most appropriate agency to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible.
• There will be a gradual transfer of Adoption Placement Support, and Prospective Adoptive Parents commencing in May 2024.
• We will work closely with all stakeholders involved in a child’s care, adoptive families and adults seeking to adopt, to ensure a smooth and seamless transition to Adoptions Victoria or other local agency provider where applicable.
• Our agency has ceased taking new Options Counselling referrals and Prospective Parent Assessments.
• We are also working with Adoptions Victoria regarding adoption records, including where and who will store and maintain records, and access to the records that are currently held by CCV.
• In the meantime, access to adoption records held by CCV continue to be available through requests made to Adoptions Victoria.

Any further inquiries can be directed to: jacinta.wainwright@catholiccarevic.org.au

More information

Client Rights and ResponsibilitiesChild Safety at CatholicCare