News
Self-Care Group for Adopted People – Join us on Thursday 12th June 2025
Our theme for the June group will be: “The Gift Within”
The Gift Within offers a supportive space to explore your inner wisdom through a guided visualization and hands-on clay work. In this session, we will journey inward to meet a wise figure or higher self, who offers a personal gift or symbol—a message or image from within, meant just for you
New Dates Added: Creative Expression Program for Adoptees – Starts May 2025
Join us for a six-week Creative Expression program starting May 2025 designed especially for the adoptee community — a space to explore your inner landscape through art, movement, music, and reflection.
Using DNA to Search for Relatives
In recent years, there has been an explosion in the use of DNA for genealogical purposes and the press and social media frequently feature personal stories where DNA results enabled long lost relatives to find each other. In this article, republished from the May 2019 edition of VANISH VOICE, we share a bit more about this technology and how it may be useful in searching for family.
Historical Forced Adoptions Redress Scheme Update
The Victorian Government’s Historical Forced Adoption Redress Scheme is open for applications from...
Updated Dates Available: Creative Expression Program for Adoptees – Starts May 2025
Join us for a six-week Creative Expression program starting May 2025 designed especially for the adoptee community — a space to explore your inner landscape through art, movement, music, and reflection.
Self-Care Group for Adoptees – Join us on Thursday 8th May 2025
Our theme for the May group will be: “What’s in a Name?”
For many adoptees, our names symbolise the complexity and fragmentation of our search for an authentic sense of self, independent of others’ expectations. Our name can be emotionally layered, representing a crossroad between the life we have lived and the life we could have lived.
VANISH welcomes new Committee of Management Members
VANISH is delighted to welcome two new Committee of Management members Kerryn Pennell and Fiona Zito.
23andMe files for bankruptcy
Many people affected by adoption and family separation use direct-to-consumer DNA testing companies as part of their search. 23andMe, one of the first direct-to-consumer DNA testing companies, filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. on Sunday 23 March 2025.
Introducing a New Self-Care Group for Adopted People
We’re excited to announce a new Monthly Group for Adult Adoptees, offering a fresh approach to...
Give a gift to help grow our impact these holidays
As the year draws to a close, the team at VANISH have been reflecting on the impact we’ve had...
Holiday Closures and Support Services
The VANISH offices will be closed from 5pm on Monday 23 December 2024 and will re-open on Thursday...
Read about our impact in our Annual Report 2023-2024
We are delighted to present to you VANISH’s Annual Report for 2023-2024 Financial Year. Adoption...
Learn more about accessing information from Births, Deaths and Marriages (Victoria)
The Victorian Government has recently published new information to support people impacted by...
VANISH Receives Funding Boost from Victorian Government
VANISH has secured a five-year funding commitment from the Victorian Government to support our work with people affected by adoption.
Recycle your containers to support VANISH
VANISH is now a proud donation partner of the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme.
Historical Forced Adoptions Redress Scheme
The Victorian Government’s Forced Adoption Redress Scheme for Mothers opens today 1.2.2024 The...
The Victorian Government’s response to historical forced adoption
In March 2022, the Victorian Government formally responded to the Inquiry into responses to...
VANISH and ARMS Commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the National Apology for Forced Adoptions
On Saturday 25th March 2023, VANISH and ARMS Vic held a commemorative event at the Taken Not Given...
Hidden Children of Priests on ABC TV’s Compass
When adoptee Brendan Watkins searched for his parents, he discovered that his mother was a nun and...
VANISH Voice
The VANISH VOICE is our quarterly newsletter filled with information and updates, personal stories, invitations to VANISH events, and more
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