Adoption provides a child with a family or whānau when their birthparents are not able to raise them. The most important consideration when it comes to adoption is what’s best for the child.
We work with whānau or families wanting to adopt, as well as birthparents who want to place a child for adoption. We’ll support and guide you through the adoption process. We can also help if you’re adopted and want to find out information about your birthparents, or if you are a birth parent seeking information about your birth child.
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Adopting in NZ
Each year a small number of children or tamariki in Aotearoa New Zealand are placed by their birth parents for adoption. You can apply to become an adoptive parent, but birth parents make the decision about who they would like to care for their child.
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Adopting a child from overseas
If you want to adopt, you can consider adopting an orphaned or abandoned child from overseas. We work with a number of other agencies to help people through the process of intercountry adoption.
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Placing your child for adoption
Your baby or child can be adopted by another family or whānau if you’re not able to look after them. You can discuss your options with us so you can make the decision that’s best for your child and you.
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Finding your birth family
As an adopted person, once you turn 20 you can legally apply for information about your birth parents.
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Surrogacy and adoption
When a child is born by IVF to a surrogate mother in Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas, the intending parents must apply to adopt the child in order to become their legal parents.
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Enquiry form
Use our online form to enquire about adoptions.
Published: March 27, 2017 · Updated: April 14, 2022
