Number of babies available for adoption falls sharply

STACY SQUIRES/The Press

STACY SQUIRES/The Press HAPPY FAMILY: Simon and Sue Kingham adopted their son Joel, two.

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A Christchurch group is encouraging women in "crisis" pregnancies to consider adopting their babies out, following a dramatic drop in adoptions outside families.

The number of New Zealand babies adopted by non-relatives has fallen by 98 per cent in the past 30 years. The trend has led to the introduction of an adoption DVD to raise the profile of adoption alongside rising abortions.

The number of non-relative adoptions fell to 60 children last year after peaking at 2617 in 1968.

Beth Nelson, of Child, Youth and Family, said about 300 couples were waiting to adopt.

"How long these couples wait for a child is dependent on the birth mother's priorities - often women choose adoptive parents similar to their own families as they want their child to be happy and fit in," she said.

This meant prospective parents could wait indefinitely.

The fall in adoptions is matched by an increase in abortions, which is cited alongside the domestic purposes benefit and the acceptance of single motherhood as reasons for the drop-off.

Statistics New Zealand figures show the number of women terminating their pregnancies increased from 5945 in 1980 to 17,934 in 2006.

Christchurch GP Dr Hilary Cleland said women with crisis pregnancies were stressed and found their options difficult to consider "in panic mode".

"I guess people are really in crisis and they look at their options and termination might seem like a quick solution. A lot of people are attracted to it because of that. They just want to get out of the situation that they are in.

"With only 87 (adoptions) happening in 2006, there's going to be a huge surplus of potential adoptive families out there. A lot of them would be great parents."

English immigrants Sue and Simon Kingham became parents after adopting Ellie, five, and Joel, two, from 17-year-old Christchurch mothers. They waited 18 months before Joel's birth mother selected their profile and met them during her pregnancy.

"It's a really momentous meeting. You sort of know that your whole life could change," said Sue Kingham, who is chairwoman of the Adoption Option Trust.

The trust last night launched the DVD in Christchurch.

- © Fairfax NZ News