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International Social Service (ISS) Australia provides social work, legal and mediation services to families and children across international borders. Our services include assistance for families experiencing international parental child abduction, facilitating international kinship care and other international child welfare matters, international post adoption and general family tracing and reunification, and international family mediation. We are the independent Australian arm of the ISS network, spanning over 130 countries worldwide. We receive government funding for some services, but rely on fees, donations and other income to continue providing the full range of our services.

Latest News

Consultation on Intercountry Adoption Family Support Service (ICAFSS)

ISS Australia has submitted to the Consultation on ICAFSS and called for strengthened localised support services, greater peer support, consideration of tracing and reunification services.

COVID-19 and return applications under the 1980 Hague Convention

ISS Australia lawyers write about how COVID-19 affects a court’s decision under the 1980 Hague (Child Abduction) Convention to order the return of a child to Australia.

COVID-19 Update:ISS Australia Open for Business

ISS Australia continues to provide legal and social work services during the CV-19 pandemic. While the great majority of our work is conducted remotely, where critical in-person assessments are required these will be done with care to minimise risk.

ISS Australia is a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

ISS Australia gratefully acknowledges funding from the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department for Australia-wide legal and social work services on international parental child abduction.

We also gratefully acknowledge funding from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice for the provision of intercountry child welfare casework services, International Post Adoption Tracing Services and Special Search Services in NSW.