Human Resources committee  We would be absolutely delighted to be working alongside you to make sure. We know how kin like grandparents and aunties and uncles and customary care are so important to the lives of our children, so they deserve to have the right support. We would be delighted to work alongside you to make sure that this is reflected in the language of any legislation.

Human Resources committee  I believe it would create stronger families, strengthen our country and enable our children to develop to their full potential. No matter where they happen to be, when children feel that they have a strong bond with an adult and can rely on that adult, there are fewer obstacles and pitfalls.

Human Resources committee  Thank you, Rosemary. It's a pleasure to speak about something I'm so passionate about. Ultimately, a family needs enough time to be able to thrive together.

Human Resources committee  Absolutely. I just never went back to work. We had, as I mentioned earlier, a sibling group of three older children, all together, and I called them my triplets. They were all talking back and all different ages. When they came to our home, I'd receive calls from the school daily, and I had to put supports in place.

Human Resources committee  Thank you. First of all, as my former minister and funder, you know how passionate I am about ensuring that all our children are thriving. I will remain non-partisan here. I will say that to us, what matters is that 15 weeks of time to attach be offered to adoptive parents, kin and customary carers.

Human Resources committee  As you can imagine, when children join us, they're not little ones. They need a lot of time to know that you're going to be around and you're going to be present. When you have the stress of going back to work, you bring new stress into a house that's already filled with a lot of stress because you're adapting to one another.

Human Resources committee  As a parent, if I may speak a bit about my own experience, I was on the receiving end of a lot of the struggles that my kids were experiencing. Stress is toxic, so when you are confronted with having to go back to work, your mental health can be impacted. Post-adoption depression is a reality.

Human Resources committee  Thank you for having me here today. Adopt4Life was founded in 2014 and provides education, advocacy and community to the tapestry of families connected by adoption, kinship and customary care relationships, as well as those at risk of breaking down because of complex needs, and the professionals who support them.