The ‘Angelina effect’ increases Australian adoption

American actress, Angelina Jolie, who has four children with partner Brad Pitt; Maddox, 5 1/2 (adopted from Cambodia), Pax, 3 (recently adopted from Vietnam), Zahara, 2 (adopted from Ethiopia) and Shiloh, 10 months who was born to the couple, is said to have effected Australian inter-country adoption rates.

“Public awareness and acceptance of adoption has been raised by Hollywood celebrities such as actress Angelina Jolie, whose “rainbow family” includes three adopted children and one biological child with partner Brad Pitt. Despite an often long and expensive process, the inter-country adoption rate has more than tripled in the past 25 years. Most children are from Asia, particularly China, South Korea and the Philippines. Ethiopia and Colombia are also popular.”

The ‘Angelina effect’ and an increase in infertility rates have caused Australian adoption rates to soar

“Three out of four adopted children in Australia are now from overseas. The remainder come from within Australia. Nationally, there was a record high of 434 overseas adoptions in 2004-05.”

Source: The Sunday Telegraph
Photo Credit: CV