Anonymous submission 3

3.1

I’m an intercountry adoptee who is visually impaired and I would not have ever known how to access this service. Without ICAV, I had not heard about it. It would much easier if I knew where to find them as a physical address and it’s hard for me to get to services. Phone counselling from a counsellor who understood disability AND intercountry adoption would be helpful. If I felt I couldn’t meet them face to face, I’d like the option of telephone counselling or FaceTime. They can see me even tho’ I can’t see them.

3.2

There should be psychologists who understand intercountry adoption. Counsellors I find a bit limited if they haven’t got more substantial training. I also understand 8 sessions is all we are eligible for and that is nowhere near enough for people like me who live a lifetime of trauma (having been in multiple adoptive families over decades). I am not the only one in this sort of situation.

What I’d like to see is some support to help those of us who need to access a lawyer with human rights speciality who understands about trafficking and adoptees being brought into this country. There is no emotional support for when we go thru’ this process which is so traumatic.

If an adoptee decides to sue for neglect, there needs to be support and advice on how to go thru’ this process. It’s a very lonely process which triggers us for which we have very little support. Most psychologists and counsellors I’ve met have no training to understand this experience to help support us. It’s not easy to communicate this type of experience.

It would be good to have seminars, events, retreats that cater to our specific needs run by professionals. A house/cottage where we can get away to be supported and focus on healing.

I would like to see more visibility in the public to educate them on how difficult it is for intercountry adoptees to trace our roots, our paperwork . Things such as educational videos would be awesome for adoptees to participate in or a way to submit written articles.

3.3

When I went to ISS Australia, I found their service to be both practical and emotional. Jane & Janet was really good. For example Jane went back with me to Vietnam to help me. This is really important for people like me who need practical assistance and can’t get around by myself. If someone wants to go back to their country of origin and don’t have a support system like adoptive parents or friends to help them, this is where the ISS Aust service was amazing. Even if it’s a short trip like 5 days, its better than not at all. Not everyone is strong enough to do this by themselves.

For adoptees like me who have difficult paperwork, genetic testing (DNA) and support from trained genealogists needs to be also considered and funded.

I didn’t even know ISS Australia’s service even existed except again thru’ ICAV. I strugged for years on my own without support and it wasn’t easy. I’ve been seeing a psychiatrist and a GP for years and they have never mentioned any of these services to me. Maybe some education to them and brochures? Even when I contacted RedCross they didn’t know about any supports for me either.

Trying to get our countries of origin to provide support for us from their end and to connect into our support systems is a challenge but much needed. It is a real problem

3.4

Not everyone has technology. I can only suggest leaflet dropping in regional areas.

3.5

We seem to have alot of fragmented post adoption services between State and Fed. The systems need to be better linked, needs to be a willingness to share resources and work together which would make it easier for us to access the supports. Instead of us hearing “we don’t provide that”. Pooling resources and interconnecting them better.

For example, South Australia has an excellent Peer Mentor support program but why couldn’t that be rolled out nationwide to give us much needed support.

3.6

I can only suggest questionnaires to those who access the service, getting more regular feedback on how we find the services to be.

Further suggestions:

We really need more funding for this huge space in post adoption services so that our needs are more fully addressed.