A suggested framework to the Senate Inquiry with regard to the Commonwealth?s contribution to former forced adoption policies and practices

The Senate Inquiry into the Commonwealth?s contribution to former forced adoption policies and practices closed on the 31 March 2011. At the time of writing over 170 submissions had been lodged from private individuals or organisations (many of them registered readers of this journal). The Inquiry requested public submissions address the following two Terms of Reference:(a) the role, if any, of the Commonwealth Government, its policies and practices in contributing to forced adoptions; and (b) the potential role of the Commonwealth in developing a national framework to assist states and territories to address the consequences for the mothers, their families and children who were subject to forced adoption policies.In a summary of his personal submission the manager of the Australian Journal of Adoption highlights a series of principles and priority areas for the Commonwealth to consider when developing its framework.The Senate Inquiry?s final report is due at the end of June 2011.