Consultation opens for the redesign of the Intercountry Adoption Family Support Service

The Federal Assistant Minister for Children and Families, Michelle Landry MP, has today announced a public consultation process on the redesign of the Intercountry Adoption Family Support Service (ICAFSS).

The ICAFSS is free of charge and offers counselling, information and support to adoptees, including adult adoptees, and their families.

Assistant Minister Landry said that the consultations are an important way of ensuring that Australia’s intercountry adoption community has their say on the design of this important service.

“The Morrison Government encourages adoptees and their families, prospective adoptive parents, service providers, professionals, academics and the broader community to participate in this process. We want to hear from people with a lived experience of intercountry adoption, as their views are essential in guaranteeing that the ICAFSS works as effectively as possible”, Assistant Minister Landry said.

“Since 2016, the Government has provided almost $4.5 million to deliver the ICAFSS and we will continue to support adoptees and their families.”

The Government has extended the current ICAFSS for an additional year with funding of $900,000 to June 2021, to ensure there is no disruption in service delivery while this consultation process is taking place.

The Department of Social Services is also conducting targeted face-to-face and telephone consultations with a range of stakeholders across Australia, including those with a lived experience of intercountry adoption, from February to March 2020.

To have your say on the ICAFSS design, visit DSS Engage website. Online consultation closes on 13 March 2020.

More information about the ICAFSS can be found at: https://relationshipmatters.com.au/services/counselling-support/