Statistics
There has been a substantial decline in the number of adoptions in Australia since the early 1970s. In 1971–72 there were 9,798 adoptions, which declined to 1,052 in 1991–92, and 576 in 2005–06. A report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics attributes this decline to the introduction of welfare for single mothers, increased legal access to termination of pregnancy, family planning services, access to child care and improved participation of women in the workforce. Forced adoption of tens of thousands of Aboriginals and the children of single mothers continued until the early 1980s.
As the table below demonstrates, Australia has a significantly lower rate of adoption than the United States and the United Kingdom:
| Country | Adoptions | Live Births | Adoption/Live Birth Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 502 (2003–2004) | 254,000 (2004) | 0.2 per 100 Live Births | Includes all adoptions |
| England & Wales | 4,764 (2006) | 669,601(2006) | 0.7 per 100 Live Births | Includes all adoption orders in England and Wales |
| United States | approx 127,000 (2001) | 4,021,725 (2002) | ~3 per 100 Live Births | The number of adoptions is reported to be constant since 1987. |
Low rates of domestic adoptions are attributed to the low number of children who need placement. Low rates of international adoptions are attributed to long wait times (from two to as much as eight years) and high cost (up to $40,000). The following table shows the most recent adoption figures, from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare:
| 2005–2006 | 2006–2007 | 2007–2008 | 2008–2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercountry adoptions | 421 | 405 | 270 | 269 |
| Local adoptions | 60 | 59 | 70 | 68 |
| 'Known-child' adoptions | 95 | 104 | 100 | 104 |
| Totals | 576 | 568 | 440 | 441 |
Read more about this topic: Adoption In Australia
Famous quotes containing the word statistics:
“July 4. Statistics show that we lose more fools on this day than in all the other days of the year put together. This proves, by the number left in stock, that one Fourth of July per year is now inadequate, the country has grown so.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“Maybe a nation that consumes as much booze and dope as we do and has our kind of divorce statistics should pipe down about “character issues.” Either that or just go ahead and determine the presidency with three-legged races and pie-eating contests. It would make better TV.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)
“O for a man who is a man, and, as my neighbor says, has a bone in his back which you cannot pass your hand through! Our statistics are at fault: the population has been returned too large. How many men are there to a square thousand miles in this country? Hardly one.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)