Love is not enough: Churches, medicos taught rules of legal adoption

The wiliness to adopt a child is not enough–there are legal matters that need to be addressed before a citizen takes into his family a new child he adopts as his own and if he wishes to prevent any issues in the future.

That was the message that was advocated during a recent seminar about legal adoption procedures that was conducted for church and medical personnel in Dimapur.  

The State Adoption Resource Agency, District Child Protection Unit of Dimapur and the Legal Service Authority organized what they called “legal awareness program” (seminar) for members of nursing homes, and the church. The seminar, conducted on July 16 at the Circuit House, focused on the issue of adoption.

“It has been long felt that there was a great need to create awareness among the medical practitioners to discourage informal adoption taking place through the hospitals and nursing homes, also Nagaland been a Christian state the church becomes the best platform to address the needs of children in need of care and protection,” the organizers stated in a press release issued on Friday, July 17.

The training was specifically conducted targeting the two sections of the community, the organizers said. The participants included representatives from churches, and health personnel such as doctors, nurses and administrative staffs of nursing homes, and nongovernmental organizations working for children such as Childline. 

Program Manager Renchumi Imti of the State Adoption Resource Agency, was the resource person for the seminar. Imti spoke on the topic “Adoption, Impact on Legal and Illegal Adoption”. She spoke about the pros and cons of legal adoption, and the procedures to follow when adaptations are made. She gave case studies of illegal or informal adoptions which she said had often led to children becoming victims of abuse and child trafficking.

The technical session was led by resource person Kekuolhuno Nakhro, program officer of the State Adoption Resource Agency. She gave an overview of ‘Carings’ on online helpline and portal.

Moamenla Jamir, founder and director of Mothers Hope, the care home for abandoned or orphaned babies, also spoke during the event. She talked about her experiences as the director of Mothers Hope as a specialized adoption agency. She told the gathering that legal adoption was the safest way to adopt a child and that the child’s future was ‘secure’ if one uses the legal way to making it a part of the family.

Another person who spoke during the event was K Ela, director Prodigal’s Home, an institution that works in various social fields of drugs, HIV and AIDS. She gave two case studies of adoption from the church’s perspective and illegal adoption from the perspective of nursing homes. She emphasized on the fact that adoption, if not done from through proper channels, may haunt a person ‘even after 15 years’. She encouraged the participants to educate, propagate, and to spread information about legal adoption.

Chairperson for the program, Pikato E Tuccu, District Child Protection Officer also spoke during the seminar saying that ‘in order to work for the best interest of child the cooperation of every stakeholder is important’.

The program concluded “on a positive note and believing that the participants will be able to propagate and educate one or two about legal adoption from this training,” the organizers said.

Citizens’ Factfile: What is the basic child adoption process in India?

Here are some quick facts about domestic adoption procedure in India by Indian nationals. The process and costs for international adoption are not covered here.

Disclaimer This is information that corresponds to general processes of legal adoption in India. Please cross-check all information given below with a lawyer experienced with adoption matters and with your agency, since adoption laws, guidelines and procedures change periodically. It is also useful to get in touch with a parent who has recently adopted from that particular state or agency.

Before adopting a child in India, remember:

–        * Register for adoption with either an Adoption Coordinating Agency (ACA) found in each state’s capital city, or an agency certified by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) in New Delhi. CARA is a division of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

–     * You can get into trouble with the Law if you adopt from unlicensed orphanages or Children’s Homes, the streets, hospitals, lawyers, doctors or social workers. It may also lead to a tussle with the birth parent, or exploitation by fraudsters and middlemen.

–     * Children adopted illegally have been denied rightful inheritance and benefits by the extended family once their adoptive parents have passed away or divorced.

–     * Prospective parents register at a licensed adoption placement agency or ACA with all the required documents. Pre-adoptive counseling may be suggested.

–     * The waiting period begins once the agency’s social worker draws up the home study report.

–     * When the agency identifies a suitable child, they call the prospective parents to meet the child.

–     * If the parents approve, some agencies may hand over the child once a foster care agreement is signed.

–     * Meanwhile, the agency’s lawyer files a petition to adopt on behalf of the couple with the Court or Juvenile Justice Board, depending on the law under which the adoption will take place. An Order for execution of the adoption deed is granted.

–     * For the most part, the agency representative and the parents register the adoption deed at the Registrar’s as proof of the completion of the adoption, and then apply for the birth certificate. (womensweb.in)

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