Adoption Law Reform: First round of engagement in 2021

On 18 June 2021, the Government asked the public about their views on our adoption laws. A discussion document was released covering six key issue areas, including what adoption is and who is involved, cultural aspects of adoption (including whāngai), how the adoption process works in Aotearoa New Zealand, the impacts of adoption and the adoption process where a child is born by surrogacy.

That public consultation closed on 31 August. More than 270 submissions were received, which have helped to shape the options for creating a new adoption system that the Government is now considering.

What we heard in the first round of engagement

You can read about what was heard during the first round of engagement in the summary of feedback document and the Targeted Engagement: Adoption law reform report.

Summary of feedback document

Summary of feedback document [PDF, 227 KB]

Targeted Engagement: Adoption law reform report

Targeted Engagement: Adoption law reform report [PDF, 3.6 MB]

2021 Discussion document

You can read more about Aotearoa New Zealand’s current adoption laws in last year’s discussion document or summary document on the links below. The 2021 summary document is translated into seven languages, and accessible formats including Easy Read.

Read the Discussion Document – English [PDF, 696 KB]

Read the Summary Document – English [PDF, 325 KB]

Read the Summary Document – Te Rēo Māori [PDF, 322 KB]

Read the Summary Document – Large Print [PDF, 422 KB]

An audio version of the Summary Document [MP3, 15 MB]

Easy Read version of the Summary Document [PDF, 3.6 MB]

Easy Read version of the Summary Document [DOCX, 11 MB]

About Easy Read

Easy Read information uses words and pictures to present information in a way that is easier to understand. 

Easy Read information has been developed to support people with learning disabilities better understand written information.

People who find Easy Read information useful include some people who: 

  • have a learning disability 
  • have low literacy levels 
  • use English as a second language 
  • are elderly 
  • are deaf.

This is an Easy Read translation of the summary document. It covers some of the main issues in the summary document, but not all of them.

New Zealand Sign Language video series about adoption 

View the full adoption video NZSL series on YouTube(external link)

Summary document translated into other languages

Read the Summary Document – Gagana Sāmoa [PDF, 322 KB]

Read the Summary Document – Lea Faka-Tonga [PDF, 332 KB]

Read the Summary Document – Traditional Chinese [PDF, 583 KB]

Read the Summary Document– Simplified Chinese [PDF, 445 KB]

Read the Summary Document – Korean [PDF, 551 KB]

Read the Summary Document – Hindi [PDF, 391 KB]

Related links

Proactive release - Government response to the Social Services and Community Committee report on matters related to forced adoptions [PDF, 2.4 MB]

Proactive release - Interim Regulatory Impact Statement: Consultation options for adoption law reform [PDF, 857 KB]