Confirmation of registration

Important news for all persons on the confirmation tracking list

For all prospective applicants currently considering or already on the tracking list below:

In August 2007, when ICAS first moved to a staged entry system, it was explained that prospective applicants would be invited to make formal application to the program in direct relation to the number of children requiring intercountry adoption by Victorian families and, the capacity of our overseas country programs to accept new application files.  At this time prospective families were informed they could expect to wait on the confirmation of registration tracking list for a period up to two years and perhaps longer. 

Despite no increase in the number of children requiring overseas adoption by Victorian families, in February and May 2009, ICAS undertook two formal intake programs from the tracking list. As a result of these intakes, a small number of new applications have been made to the ICAS, but the majority of prospective applicants have decided for a variety of reasons to either withdraw or remain on the tracking list at this time.

After thorough consideration and analysis of the current context of Intercountry adoption, ICAS requires you to please be aware that:

• The number of children placed for intercountry adoption with Victorian families has continued to decline
• The waiting time for approved applicants to be matched with a child from overseas continues to increase
• A number of overseas country programs have reduced the quota (number of files they will accept per year) of applicant files they are able to accept
• A long standing country program - The Philippines have called a moratorium on intercountry adoption files for children 0 - 3 years (this means the program will no longer accept any applications for children in this age range, indefinitely)
• And waiting lists for ICAS approved applicants to have their files sent to overseas countries have not decreased.  This means that although our program did process two intake programs from the Confirmation of Expression of Interest List in 2009, there had been no significant throughput or movement of applicants already in our service system.

This is most clearly highlighted by the statistical count of the number of children placed with Victorian families for intercountry adoption.  For the financial year 2006 - 2007, 70 children were placed, 2007 - 2008 63 children were placed.  Although the statistics for the current financial year are not finalised it is anticipated that approximately 50 children will have been placed from overseas with Victorian adoptive families.  This is a significant drop in number with serious ramifications for the movement of approved applicants through the ICAS program.

The immediate implication of this information is that it is unlikely that any new intake programs will occur during the remainder of 2009.  This situation will be reviewed regularly as part of our analysis of our monthly statistics. Any changes will be communicated to you over this web page.

For those prospective applicants who choose to remain on the confirmation of registration tracking list, the anticipated wait time on this list must be revised upwards to between 3 - 4 years.  We appreciate the implications of this increased timeframe for many prospective applicants, but believe transparency in information is crucial to allow you to make informed choices/decisions about your future.

There are many Victorian children who require care in a family. We encourage you to consider finding out more about the Victorian Adoption and Permanent Care Program and Foster Care. 

Tracking list as at 6 November 2009.

Notice to all Single Applicants on the Confirmation of Expression of Interest List as at September 2009