Theme: Adoption

The following authorities do adoption work in India:

• Central Adoption Resource Authority – It  is the central authority in charge of monitoring and regulating adoptions in India, receiving applications for inter-country adoptions, maintaining a database of children to be adopted, etc. Each state has a subset of this authority known as the State Adoption Resource Agency which works for the promotion, facilitation, monitoring and regulation of adoption in the states. 
• Child Welfare Committee – It takes cognizance of the children brought before it, conducts enquiry and declares them free for adoption, etc. 
• District Child Protection Unit – It aims to identify orphan, abandoned and surrendered children in the district and get them declared legally free for adoption by Child Welfare Committee, tracking the progress of children legally free for adoption, etc. 
• Specialized Adoption Agencies – It is responsible for the care, protection and well-being of every child in its charge, and works for their needs. 

The following authorities are in-charge of inter-country adoptions (adoption of children who are foreigners or foreigners adopting Indian children):

• Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency – It registers the prospective adoptive parents interested to adopt children from India and completes their Home Study Report, provides orientations to the parents about the child’s culture, etc.
• Indian Diplomatic Missions – It registers the adoption applications of Non-Resident Indian Prospective Adoptive Parents or Overseas Citizens of India in the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System, and processes them, etc. 

Yes, you can adopt a child from a different state than the one you live in. To do this, while you are registering with Central Adoption Resource Authority, you should indicate your preferred states for adopting a child.

The wait time depends upon several factors like choice of gender, age, medical condition of the child, preference of the state, etc.(( Central Adoption Resource Authority, FAQs, http://cara.nic.in/PDF/faqs.pdf.)) Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain the exact time period. Please see here for more information.

Although LGBTQ+ persons can adopt in India, same sex couples cannot. If you are a same sex couple, you may adopt a child separately and raise him/her together, but both you and your spouse cannot be legal parents of that child in India.

The decision is taken on the basis of seniority of prospective adoptive parents. Seniority is calculated from the date of successful registration, including submission of documents.(( Regulation 41, Adoption Regulations, 2017.)) For example, if Mini registered on 1st May, 2019, and Sita registered on 28th May, 2019, Mini is senior to Sita in terms of eligibility to adopt a child.

A home study is a report, valid for 3 years, conducted by the Specialised Adoption Agency (SAA) closest to your residence to determine your eligibility and suitability to adopt a child, and it includes details like social and economic status, family background, description of home and atmosphere therein and health status.(( Regulation 2(11), Adoption Regulations, 2017.)) This report will be completed within 30 days of your registration, and posted on the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS). Please see here for more information. 

Adoption is different from guardianship. A guardian is a person who cares for a child or for his property till the child becomes an adult (turns 18 years old), but it does not create lasting  legal or familial ties like adoption. For example, Aman’s parents are not alive anymore so his uncle may apply for guardianship. As Aman’s guardian, his uncle has the legal responsibility of his upbringing, property, major financial decisions etc. 

There are two main legislations on guardianship:

• If you are a Hindu, you can refer to both Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 and Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956. 

If you belong to any religious community except Hindu, you can refer to the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890.

If anyone who has charge of or control over a child assaults, abandons, abuses, exposes or deliberately neglects the child, causing the child unnecessary mental or physical suffering, that person can be punished be punished with imprisonment for up to three years and/or a fine of Rupees one lakh.(( Section 75, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.))

Also, for any general adoption by a parent in India, a Specialised Adoption Agency (SAA) has to prepare a post-adoption follow-up report every six months for two years after the child has been placed with the adoptive parents.(( Regulation 13(1), Adoption Regulations, 2017.)) In case the child is having any adjustment problems with the adoptive parents, the SAA has to arrange counseling for such adoptive parents and adoptees.(( Regulation 13(5), Adoption Regulations, 2017.))

If a child is not able to adjust with the adoptive family, an application can be filed by the SAA in the Court which gave the adoption order, asking the Court to invalidate the adoption.(( Regulation 13(7), Adoption Regulations, 2017.)) If the adoption is terminated by the Court, the child can again be put up for adoption by other prospective parents.(( Regulation 13(8), Adoption Regulations, 2017.))

If the child is a Hindu and has been validly adopted by a Hindu parent under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, the adoption cannot be cancelled by the adoptive father or mother or any other person, and the adopted child cannot give up the adopted status and return to the family of birth.(( Section 15, Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.))