The Adoption of Bonnie (a pseudonym) [2025] NSWSC 141

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: The Adoption of Bonnie (a pseudonym) [2025] NSWSC 141 Hearing dates: On the papers; written submissions 19 February 2025 Decision date: 04 March 2025 Jurisdiction: Equity - Adoptions List Before: Stevenson J Decision: Adoption orders made Catchwords: CHILD WELFARE – adoption – consent – dispense order – where birth mother initially opposed adoption application by the Secretary – where orders made for appointment of Guardian ad Litem for birth mother in the proceedings – where birth mother now indicates support for adoption and signed adoption plan – whether consent dispense order in best interests of the child CHILD WELFARE – adoption – consent – dispense order – where child's father not recorded on birth certificate – whether child's father cannot, after reasonable inquiry, be found or identified Legislation Cited: Adoption Act 2000 (NSW) Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adoption of BL [2018] NSWSC 391 Adoption of RCC and RZA [2015] NSWSC 813 Application of A - re D [2006] NSWSC 1056 In re W (A Child) (Adoption: Grandparents' Competing Claim) [2017] 1 WLR 889; [2016] EWCA Civ 793 Re the Adoption of CCS and FLS [2019] NSWSC 71 Secretary, New South Wales Department of Family and Community Services by his delegate, Principal Officer, Barnardos Australia v MB and JW [2017] NSWSC 1087 Texts Cited: Practice Note SC Eq 13 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Secretary, New South Wales Department of Communities and Justice by his delegate Principal Officer, Adoptions, Barnardos Australia (Plaintiff) "India" (a pseudonym) (Defendant) Representation: Solicitors: Crown Solicitor's Office (Plaintiff) Defendant (Self-Represented) File Number(s): 2024/243879 Publication restriction: This judgment has been anonymised pursuant to s 180 Adoption Act 2000 (NSW).