All children need family and love to thrive.

If you have decided to adopt, you will likely need a family lawyer Perth.

Family lawyers Perth can walk you through the adoption process — ensuring your rights are upheld and everything goes smoothly.

What are the laws on adoption?

When adopting a child in Western Australia, you will need to be prepared to answer a lot of questions and assessments.

This entire process, on average, can take up to twelve months — depending on how fast you can complete tasks and navigate potential complications.

To adopt a child in Perth or anywhere in WA, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be over 18 years old and an Australian citizen.
• A resident of and living in WA
• If married or in a de facto relationship — must have been in the relationship for at least 3 years
• Your adoption process must be approved by the AAC (Adoption Applications Committee), prior to placement

Along with those rules, you will need to be:

• Physically and mentally able to care for the child until they turn 18.
• Be in a stable relationship — if in one
• Able to provide a stable family environment
• Have a decent record free of certain offences
• Able and willing to meet all cultural, religious, educational and emotional needs
• Willing to attend education seminars
• And agree to meetings at your home

Your willingness to support a connection with the child’s birth parents, when possible or appropriate, is also considered.

All families are welcome to adopt as long as the relationship is stable, or a stable environment can be provided.

What can a family lawyer do?

With all the paperwork and requirements to adopt a child, it is best to appoint a lawyer.

Using search engines or relying on the process alone can be stressful — not to mention risky.

A family lawyer Perth can counsel you through the entire adoption process.

When adopting a child, your lawyer can ensure the proper paperwork is filed, and be a liaison between you and the courts.

A lawyer can also assist you if you are in a same-sex relationship.

How to find the perfect lawyer

When looking for a family lawyer Perth, time is of the essence. Finding a lawyer as soon as possible can better help you achieve your desired outcomes.

Some important questions to ask or information to collect are:

• How much experience do they have in the kind of adoption you are considering?
• How many similar cases have they handled? Were there good results?
• Do they require a deposit? How much should I expect to pay?
• Also, see if you can have a free consultation

Adoption is a wonderful thing! It gives a child a loving family, and a loving family a child.

A family lawyer Perth can help make the adoption process easier— keeping your rights in mind.

Looking for family lawyers Perth doesn’t have to be hard, as long as you do your research — your adoption can be finalised quickly and without stress.