US, Canadian Couples Adopt Specially Abled Orphans

Hubballi: Two couples from the US and one from Canada recently adopted three specially abled orphan children from the District Child Protection Unit here. Currently, there are 11 orphans at this unit. In the last three years, the unit had received seven abandoned children and rescued another 21.According to sources, of the three foreign couples, one was childless. Fifteen couples from Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh have also adopted abandoned children. To enhance child safety, cradles have been placed at Guntigeri, Hubballi and other locations so that people do not abandon infants near trees, by the roadside, near drains and such other places.To streamline adoption procedures for orphans, abandoned and surrendered children, the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has been given the status of a statutory body to enable it to perform its functions more effectively. Adoption processes have been streamlined with fixed timelines for both in-country as well as inter-country adoptions, including declaring a child legally free for adoption. Neeta Wadkar, the district child protection officer, told STOI the government has given an opportunity to couples and single parents to apply for adoption on the CARA website. The process involves completion of certain legal formalities as well.According to Wadkar, inter-country adoption is on the rise. At six-month intervals, door visits are conducted to check on the condition of adopted children and collect all relevant data on them. “Usually, couples have to wait for a minimum of two years to adopt a child and adoptions are allowed only after running a thorough check on the prospective parent or parents,” she added.Prakash Kodliwad, a child protection officer, said: “We are creating awareness on legal adoption and the procedures that need to be followed. During awareness campaigns, members of the public are also warned on the consequences of illegal adoption.”