Family in Nauru

Family support in Nauru is institutionally fragmented but includes formal procedures and strong extended-family involvement. The Department of Women & Social Development Affairs, including its Child Protection Unit, the Department of Finance Social Welfare Division, the Nauru Judiciary, the District Court and Family Court, the Supreme Court Family Division, the Nauru Police Force, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and the Department of Justice & Border Control each handle different matters. Services are national, but many offices and court processes are concentrated around Government Offices in Yaren. Marriage, divorce and adoption are handled through civil registration and court procedures. Adoption applications go to the Family Court, which notifies the Cabinet. The Cabinet may consent or oppose the application, followed by a hearing and an Adoption Order. A sole adopter generally must be at least 25 years old and at least 21 years older than the child. Joint applicants must be a married man and woman who each meet those age requirements. A married applicant normally needs the spouse's consent. A sole male applicant seeking to adopt a female child is generally considered only in exceptional circumstances. Divorce is based on the permanent breakdown of the marriage. A petition is generally not filed within the first three years after marriage. Recognised grounds include desertion for at least two years, separation for two years with consent, or separation for five years without consent after reconciliation has failed. Family Registry Form 2 is used in the procedure. A response is generally due within 21 days and a reply within 14 days. A court can also address maintenance where a spouse or child is not adequately supported. A Maintenance Order for a child normally continues until the child turns 18 or dies. Parents and families have primary responsibility for a child's care, while the State must protect children under 18 when safety and wellbeing are at risk. A Child Protection Officer or the police may investigate. In an immediate-risk situation, authorities can enter or search premises, arrange medical care and place a child in the Minister's custody. The responsible Director can apply for a child protection order. The court may require a social assessment, medical report, family contact conditions, a family group meeting, a case plan, a conference or separate legal representation. Family support is considered before removal where it can protect the child. If removal is necessary, extended-family placement has priority, followed where possible by placement with siblings. Approved kinship and foster carers undergo suitability, household and care-standard checks. A foster certificate is renewed every two years, while a kinship certificate lasts for a maximum of two years. Long-term alternative care is used when no parent or other family member can provide safe care. Nauru's domestic-violence law covers assault, coercive control, economic or financial abuse, sexual violence, stalking, property damage and abusive, cruel or degrading conduct. A domestic relationship includes spouses and partners, family or household members, people dependent on one another because of disability or illness, and people with a close personal relationship. The Nauru Police Force Domestic Violence Unit and WASDA can refer people to the Safe House, also known as Eoaq'n Eratequo. A Police Safety Order can be obtained directly from the police and lasts seven days. A Protection Order can be requested from the court in person, by telephone, in writing or electronically. Breaching an order can constitute contempt and lead to up to 12 months' imprisonment; police can detain a suspected violator for up to 24 hours. The law and its implementation were under review in 2025 and 2026 because of enforcement, coordination, access and procedure gaps. Social support includes the published Birth Claim, Death Claim and Back-to-School payment, as well as aged and disability payments. Published information lists a Birth Claim of AUD 300 per child for an employed mother and AUD 600 per child for an unemployed mother, subject to eligibility conditions that include Nauruan citizenship and residence at the child's birth; current requirements should be confirmed with the responsible office. The Death Claim is listed as AUD 2,000 per deceased person, and the Back-to-School payment as AUD 50 per child per term when enrolment and good attendance requirements are met. Aged and disability payments are generally made fortnightly to eligible Nauru residents who do not have regular income and are not means-tested. Public Finance information lists aged rates of AUD 250 for people over 60 and AUD 300 for people over 70, while a November 2025 bulletin reports revised rates of AUD 400 for ages 60 to 69, AUD 500 for ages 70 to 74 and AUD 600 from age 75, plus AUD 1,000 fortnightly for Young at Hearts. The current disability rate is not clearly confirmed in the reviewed public information, so the Social Welfare Division should be contacted before relying on a figure. Births, deaths, marriages and divorces are recorded by the Registrar. A hospital birth notification is generally due within seven days, and a parent or guardian should register the birth within 21 days. Birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates are listed at AUD 10 each. Death registration normally uses hospital notification, while a court order may be needed in a judicial death case. Certificate access can be limited: historical rules indicate 75 years for birth records and 20 years for death records. An amended birth certificate can list adoptive parents after an adoption. The Public Legal Defender provides free legal advice or representation when eligibility requirements are met; the reviewed material does not establish a specific family-court filing fee.