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PCA Families fact sheets and information are designed to educate and inform parents and carers of families formed by adoption, permanent and kinship care.
We offer general information about the current laws in Victoria that were considered to be true and correct at the date of publication. They are not intended to be relied upon as legal advice.
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There are differences in birth rights, inheritance rights, care entitlements and more between different types of court orders and care arrangements. Learn more about the differences in our summary table here. |
Find out more about permanent care and kinship care from the Victorian Government here. Adoption information is also available here.
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When you agree to a care arrangement, you have responsiblity for a childs care, welfare, and development. Wih that comes some legal rights and responsiblities. The governing principles are set out in the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) (CYFA) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CROC), to which Australia is a signatory. The childs rights are paramount and are summarised here. |
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The relationship between families and birth families in a child welfare context is complex. Research studies highlight the importance of the quality and frequency of birth parent-child vists and the nature of birth parents characteristics and carers attitudes that impact. Furthermore, kinship care families are more likely to have conflict and tension between the parties. See here. |
The governing principles for birth family contact are set out in the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) (CYFA) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CROC), to which Australia is a signatory.
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Meeting the needs of children and making sure they are safe is a shared responsiblity.The child protection system is there to support children and young people at risk of harm. |
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A wide variety of organisations support children in families formed by adoption, permanent or kinsihp care. These services and supports are there to help you create safe and caring homes and communities while building capacity and resilience for all. |
PCA Families acknowledges the First Nations peoples of all Country throughout Australia. We are grateful for continued connections to lands, waters, seas and communities. We pay respect to Elders past and present as we express our intention to move together to a place of justice and partnership. We acknowledge sovereignty has never been ceded and Australia was, and always will be, Aboriginal lands.
PCA Families has a zero tolerance of child abuse and we are committed to establishing and maintaining child safe environments.
