Adoption Agencies in NSW and Sydney: Who Does What in 2025

If you've been searching for adoption agencies in NSW or Sydney, the landscape has changed significantly in recent years — and the information online hasn't always kept up. Understanding who does what in the current system prevents you from contacting the wrong organisation or forming expectations based on an outdated model.

Here is an accurate picture of the agencies and authorities involved in NSW adoption as of 2025.

The 2024 Change That Reshaped the Landscape

The most important thing to know about NSW adoption agencies is that a major structural change occurred in June 2024. Prior to this, some private non-government organisations — specifically Anglicare and Family Spirit — were contracted by the NSW Government to provide local voluntary adoption services (that is, infant relinquishment services supporting birth parents and matching them with approved families).

The NSW Government decided not to renew these contracts. As of 30 June 2024, the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) became the sole provider of local voluntary adoption services in NSW.

This means that if you are pursuing local infant adoption in NSW — the pathway where a birth parent voluntarily relinquishes a child — you deal exclusively with DCJ. Private agencies no longer operate in this space.

What Anglicare NSW Adoption Services Now Does

Anglicare's local adoption services ended in June 2024. However, Anglicare continues to operate in other areas of child and family services in NSW. If you previously saw references to "Anglicare adoption NSW," those relate to the pre-2024 arrangement.

Families should not contact Anglicare expecting adoption placement services for new applications. Their current role in adoption is not as an Accredited Adoption Service Provider (AASP) for new placements.

What Barnardos Australia Does in NSW Adoption

Barnardos Australia continues to operate as an Accredited Adoption Service Provider (AASP) in NSW, but specifically in the out-of-home care (OOHC) sector. Barnardos facilitates what are called "carer adoptions" — helping long-term foster carers who are pursuing adoption of a child in their care through the permanency planning process.

Barnardos does not facilitate local infant adoption or intercountry adoption. Their role is specifically in supporting the transition from foster care to legal adoption for children in the Permanency Support Program (PSP).

If you are a current or prospective foster carer interested in the foster-to-adopt pathway, Barnardos is one of the AASPs you can approach. They provide assessment services, caseworker support, and guidance through the Section 90 court process and Supreme Court adoption application.

DCJ Open Adoption and Permanency Services (OAPS)

DCJ's OAPS unit is now the central authority for all three adoption pathways in NSW:

Local adoption (infant): DCJ handles the entire process — initial inquiries, training, assessment, matching, and finalization. Birth parents considering relinquishment work directly with DCJ. Prospective adoptive parents also work directly with DCJ from their initial expression of interest.

Intercountry adoption: DCJ is the exclusive agency for intercountry adoption in NSW. No private agency is authorised to arrange overseas placements. DCJ acts as the NSW Central Authority under the Hague Convention and manages all program country relationships.

OOHC adoption (carer adoption): For children already in foster care, both DCJ and AASPs like Barnardos play roles. The child's existing foster care arrangement determines which organisation is the primary contact. If a child is in a DCJ-managed placement, DCJ oversees the permanency planning. If the child is placed through Barnardos or another AASP, that organisation supports the carer through the adoption process.

Other Supporting Organisations

Beyond the formal adoption service providers, several organisations provide information, support, and advocacy without arranging placements:

Adopt Change Australia: A national advocacy and education organisation focused on promoting adoption as a pathway for children in out-of-home care. Their website contains useful information about the NSW system, eligibility, and the current state of adoption policy. They do not arrange adoptions but are a credible source of general information.

Carers for Kids NSW: An information platform that helps people understand foster care and adoption pathways in NSW. It includes a directory of NSW foster care and adoption agencies and practical guidance on different care options.

Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC) — The Benevolent Society: A specialist support and counselling service for people affected by adoption in NSW. PARC does not arrange adoptions but provides pre- and post-adoption support, including for families navigating the current process.

Jigsaw NSW: A support network for people affected by adoption who are searching for birth relatives or navigating reunion. Not an adoption agency, but a relevant support service.

How to Choose Who to Contact First

The right starting point depends entirely on which pathway you're pursuing:

• If you're interested in local infant adoption → Contact DCJ OAPS directly. No agency referral is needed.
• If you're interested in intercountry adoption → Contact DCJ OAPS. They manage all overseas programs.
• If you're a foster carer interested in adoption from care → Speak to your existing caseworker (whether DCJ or your AASP) about whether adoption is a permanency goal for the child in your care.
• If you're new to fostering and want the dual-authorization pathway → Contact DCJ OAPS, or an AASP like Barnardos, about becoming authorized as both a foster carer and prospective adoptive parent.
• If you want information and support before making contact → PARC or Adopt Change Australia are good non-governmental starting points.

The NSW Adoption Process Guide covers the full assessment and approval process in detail, including what DCJ's OAPS is looking for in the initial suitability consultation and how to prepare for each stage — so you arrive at your first contact informed, not overwhelmed.

A Note on Cost

Working with DCJ directly (as is now required for local and intercountry adoption) involves set government fees. For local adoption, total DCJ fees run to approximately $3,401. For intercountry adoption, approximately $9,992 in government fees, plus the significant additional costs of international travel and overseas authority fees.

For OOHC carer adoption, the state generally covers departmental fees — there are no DCJ charges for carers pursuing adoption of a child in their long-term care.

These costs reflect only the government fees. Legal fees for the Supreme Court finalization, assessment-related costs, and any medical reports or background checks are additional.

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