This year we mark the 30th anniversary of our Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC). This service assists people in New South Wales to access information, find their families, connect and nurture these relationships. It helps people to make sense of the grief, loss and trauma related to their adoption experience.  

To mark this milestone, our PARC team hosted a commemorative event in Sydney which included keynote speakers sharing their perspectives on adoption in Australia and their own adoption journey. Robert Tickner, who previously served as a Federal Member of Parliament and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders spoke about his experiences with adoption and reunion. This included the discovery that his birth mother lived ten houses away from his adoptive grandmother’s house, which he often visited. His story is further detailed in his book Ten Doors Down. 

“Providing information and professional support services to people affected by adoption for so long is very humbling. We have learned so much from those who have accessed our services," said PARC’s team leader, Fiona Cameron. “I am immensely proud of our service that was established 30 years ago to connect adopted people and their parents.” 

“PARC will always be a resource for adopted people to connect, reconnect and navigate these relationships. Adoption is complex and no two stories are the same.”

 
The PARC team created a video which showcases the individual stories and voices of multiple clients. 

“We give our sincere thanks to everyone who has so generously shared their stories,” Fiona said. “The complexity of the adoption experience  impacts on  the adopted person and their parents – birth and adoptive. Our video aims to shed light on this experience and help others navigating this space.” 

If you, or someone you know, is in need of support related to adoption please call The Benevolent Society at 1800 236 762 or visit our page on Post Adoption Services here.