Hilary Forsythe | Author
Hilary Forsythe
Reviews
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18.01.2022 I was surprised and delighted today to find that there is a huge exhibition from 7 July to 22 September on Australia's past adoption practices. This is sponsored by the National Archives of Australia and the exhibition is at the Whitlam Institute, Rydalmere, NSW. There is a supporting web page that has masses of resources for mothers, adoptees and researchers providing a wealth of informed material for anyone who wants to know more about the field of adoption. See: forceda...doptions.naa.gov.au I can heartily recommend reading about others' experiences as a way of coming to the reality that all the painful emotions you have experienced yourself are NORMAL. Certainly had that effect on me. The picture here depicts a birth record with the notorious "BFA" or "Baby For Adoption" stamped on it. This was often used even in rare cases when babies were not to be adopted. Source: forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au
16.01.2022 Are you trying to connect with an adoptee or natural mother? This link has information that summarises the processes for accessing Australian adoption records state by state. It tells you which agency holds the records, who is entitled to access information, whether contact vetoes may apply and what type of information you may receive. Good luck with your search and if you need support, contact JigSaw in your capital city. http://forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au/records
12.01.2022 Are you trying to connect with an adoptee or natural mother? This link has information that summarises the processes for accessing Australian adoption records state by state. It tells you which agency holds the records, who is entitled to access information, whether contact vetoes may apply and what type of information you may receive. Good luck with your search and if you need support, contact JigSaw in your capital city. http://forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au/records The picture here depicts a birth record with the notorious "BFA" or "Baby For Adoption" stamped on it. This was often used even in rare cases when babies were not to be adopted. Source: forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au
07.01.2022 Brisbane Writers' Festival yesterday was great and I had an opportunity to meet Tracey Spicer, former news anchor for Chanel 10. What an truly warm person she is, funny, and genuine, and ran a great workshop. Love her work.
06.01.2022 I was recently surprised and delighted to find that there is a huge exhibition from 7 July to 22 September 2017, on Australia's past adoption practices. This is sponsored by the National Archives of Australia and the exhibition is at the Whitlam Institute, Rydalmere, NSW. There is a supporting web page that has masses of resources for mothers, adoptees and researchers providing a wealth of informed material for anyone who wants to know more about the field of adoption. See: forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au I can heartily recommend reading about others' experiences as a way of coming to the reality that all the painful emotions you have experienced yourself are NORMAL. Certainly had that effect on me.
06.01.2022 My dear friend, Laura, this week sent me some newspaper clippings about women who suffered from forced adoptions and their representations to the New Zealand Government to acknowledge the abuse, pain and suffering caused by state- sanctioned forced adoption. She included two stories of mothers who testified at the inquiry into forced adoptions. One mother commented, "I spent 12 years looking for my boy in every pram...". This comment was highlighted and Laura had written ...underneath, "Like Hilary". I was so touched by these two words, of themselves, insignificant. Then I remembered how we had shared secrets, and how she had remembered 50 years later my saying to her, "I could pass my child on the street and not know her!" Her words were a spontaneous response to her memory of my recounting my story, my pain and grief, that still resonates with her so many years later. She never forgot. None of us mothers forgot. None of us "got on with our lives". None of us stopped caring. None of us got over losing our babies. We were all damaged. [Quote from The New Zealand Herald, March 16, 2017]
