This article explains that adoption rates in Australia have fallen to historically low levels, based on new data showing a long-term and continuing decline. It highlights that only a small number of adoptions now occur each year, dropping significantly over recent decades, with most adoptions involving children already known to the adoptive family, such as foster or kinship carers, rather than infants or intercountry placements. The article also points to contributing factors behind the decline, including complex legal processes, long wait times, and a policy emphasis on keeping children with their birth families where possible. Overall, it presents the trend as part of a broader shift in child welfare approaches, raising questions about whether current systems are adequately meeting the needs of children requiring permanent homes.