Submission to the Western Australian Government Inquiry into Past Forced Adoption Policies and Practices

The APS welcomed this Inquiry as an important next step for adopted children, mothers, fathers, and other family members impacted by forced adoption to be able to share their lived experiences safely and be heard and validated.

The APS has been a strong advocate for ensuring Australians impacted by forced adoption policies and practices have access to high-quality psychosocial and psychological support from health professionals. Our submission drew particular attention to the following:

• The lifelong and intergenerational psychosocial, psychological and health impacts of forced adoption.
• The critical importance of upskilling health professionals who engage with people impacted by forced adoption to increase their awareness of impacts and enhance assessment and intervention skills based on best practice trauma-informed treatment and care approaches.
• The nationally funded and updated APS national training package as a mechanism that could bolster the numbers of Western Australian psychologists and general practitioners available to provide services and support for people impacted by forced adoption.

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