Adoption of Sri Lankan Children by Australians

This ITEM is in the book by Wickerema S. WEERASOORIA, Colombo, Govt Press, 1988, pp. 288-89 ………… It has been prepared for TPS by Moira Djukanovic in Adelaide, a lady who adopted two Lankan boys in association with her husband Stan. As it happens Moira & Stan have been stalwart mebers of ASLA in Adelaide for decades; while Alex and Duncan….the two lads…. have grown to adulthood and are part of the Adelaidian Lankan networks.

Adoption of Sri Lankans by Australians

Though legal provision for adoption of children existed in Sri Lanka, it was confined to Sri Lankan nationals only. Adoption of Sri Lankan children by non-nationals became possible only after the Adoption of Children (Amendment) Act, No. 38 of 1979 was enacted in 1979.

To legalise the adoption of a Sri Lankan child, the Family Court of Sri Lanka has to make an adoption order. For such an order to be made there must be a joint application by the adoptive parents. The Family Court then calls for the social and psychological aspects of the adoption. The Court must be satisfied that there are special circumstances that justify making an adoption order in faour of the applicants.

Trevor Langridge with his three Sri Lankan children

To the report from the Commissioner of Probation and Child Care Services should be annexed, amongst other things, a “Home Study Report” on the “mental health of the applicants, on their social, religious and financial background and on their suitability to adopt a child” compiled by an institution recognised by the country of the applicants and authenticated by the accredited representative of Sri Lanka in that country.

In Australia the processing of applications for adoption of children is handled by the appropriate Departments of State Governments. Applications forwarded to the Sri Lankan High Commission for authentication and onward transmission should contain

A formal letter requesting a child for adoption, together with their preference, if any
Home Study Report by an approved institution
Birth, marriage and health certificates.
Recent passport size photographs of the applicants.

The Home Study Reports observe certain well developed norms which look to the welfare of the child to be adopted. For example, the adoptive parents should not be over 50 years of age and must have sound financial stability.

Sri Lanka has been a popular source for adoption by Australians and between 1975 to 1987 there have been a total of 975 adoptions. Of the number the largest have been from New South Wales (304) with South Australia taking second place with 255 adoptions. Adoption figures for other states for the period 1975-1987 are Western Australia (18), Northern Territory (31), Queensland (12), Victoria (98), Tasmania (35) and Canberra (32).

Adoption article photosThe Middletons with their two Sri Lankan children

Other countries from which Australians adopt children are South Korea, India, Chile, Colombia, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bolivia and Taiwan.

Most of the adoptive parents have formed Associations in the different States and are keen participants in Sri Lankan related functions and events. Some of them have even organised classes to teach Sinhalese to their children and are keen to teach them about the culture of their mother country.

Pending a major review of policies and their implementation relating to the adoption of Sri Lankan children by non-nationals, the government had stopped the processing of applications for adoption effective 3 June 1987. A committee appointed by the President of Sri Lanka is presently engaged in the task.