Compliance with the Hague Convention

What is the Hague Convention?

The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperating in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) aims to protect children and their families from trafficking, and illegal and ill-prepared adoptions.

The Hague Convention focusses on the need for countries to work together to prevent the abduction, sale or trafficking of children.

The core belief of the Hague Convention is that the birth family or extended family should raise a child. When family care is not possible then other forms of care in the birth country should be considered.

When all other placement options have been explored and ruled out, only then should intercountry adoption be pursued and only if in the best interest of the child.

In Australia, the Hague Convention entered into force 1 December 1998.

Are the partner countries part of the Hague Convention?

We only work with partner countries who meet the principles and standards of the Hague Convention. It is not a requirement for partner countries to have signed the convention but they must work within the key principles to be able to facilitate intercountry adoptions with Australia.