Adoption

Adoption is a permanent legal process that provides a child with new parents. It severs the legal relationship between a child and their birth parents.

Adoption must be in the child’s best interest and meet the requirements of the Adoption of Children Act 1994.

This guide has information if you:

• are considering:
  • adoption for your child
  • adopting a child from the Northern Territory (NT) or overseas
  • adopting your spouses’ child, known as step adoption
  • adopting a related child, or a child not related but known
• want to find out information about a past adoption in the NT.