Adoption? It's a bundle of woes

Adoption? It's a bundle of woes

Swati Sengupta, TNN, Oct 24, 2010, 03.43am IST

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Tags:central adoption resource agency|adoption

KOLKATA: Some months ago, the Bengal government prodded by a spine-chilling allegation asked some other states to inquire into the authenticity of addresses provided by a few adoptive parents.

The addresses had been revealed by a city-based adoption centre as belonging to those who had adopted children from centres in West Bengal. One of the state governments wrote back, saying the address did not match, and

was "fake". Since the centre is involved in inter-country adoption as well, this was all the more shocking.

The state social welfare department went completely jittery and show-caused the adoption centre immediately. Later, however, the centre came up with a new address of the couple. Despite this answer being "convincing", doubts about the dubious nature of adoption still remain, admit officials.

Reality check

Following this information, TOI decided to do a reality check on some adoption centres in the city, and found that individuals or couples keen on adoption have nothing short of nightmares. The problems are many from having to shell out huge amounts of money to a long, tedious wait.

This correspondent posed as a single woman based in Bangalore hoping to adopt a child from a centre in Kolkata. But she realised that this was more difficult than she had apprehended. The first centre she called near Rashbehari Avenue said there was no point visiting them as "the adoption system was closed temporarily due to too much pressure".

"There is a long queue already, more than 50 are already waiting, so we are not even accepting new registrations," said the woman who had taken the call. However, when this correspondent coaxed and pleaded, saying she was desperate to adopt a child and was ready to pay, the woman asked her to drop in.

At the centre was a notice pasted on the pale visiting room wall, which read that donations, milk and medicines were accepted. The man who came down to the ground floor to meet the correspondent said the total fee for adoption would come to around `30,000 to `40,000. She was asked to get back later for registration and be prepared to continue following it up.

When she pointed out the notice, the man said: "No donation is required for adopting children, but we do take whatever people give money, medicines, milk or food for the handicapped children at the centre whom no body wants to adopt."

Adoptive parents say this is a common ploy used by centres they do not directly charges for adoption, but "ask for" and "accept" donations for other children at the centre.

Even the fee quoted was higher than what the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) under the ministry of social justice and empowerment has prescribed. According to CARA guidelines, the cost should not exceed `15,000, at the rate of `50 per day from the date of admission till the child is placed in pre-placement foster care. For medical care, hospitalisation charges may be claimed up to a maximum of `9,000 on actual bills. Legal and scrutiny fees may be charged on actuals. The agency can also claim `200 as registration charge and `1,000 for preparing Home Study Reports.

Therefore, under no circumstances can the fee go up to `40,000, the sum the correspondent was asked to be prepared to shell out.

Our next destination is a centre near Park Street. After the similar kind of introduction, the social worker says: "The question of donation comes much later." The correspondent presses further, saying she had come down from Bangalore for a few days only for this purpose and that she had to save up the money in the coming months and therefore, it would help if she knew how much she should save. Finally, the social worker gives in: "Come and register first, and then we'll tell you how much the donation sum is."

A couple who adopted a girl child four years ago said they had to shell out `45,000. "Now I am sure the rate has gone up. It also depends on which centre one is going to," she said. Some also allege it can even go up to `1 lakh or more if the potential adoptive parents "bribe" their way to jump queues to get the child earlier than the time normally required.

"The problem is that it is always difficult to prove anything about donations," said state social welfare secretary Rinchen Tempo.

The issue of donations is no big secret for those who have adopted children already, which is why social workers at the centres are never forthcoming about it initially, but tell you that "the issue is dealt with at a much later stage". It is only when the registration is complete and they are completely sure the person or couple is adopting for sure that the issue of donation is "discussed freely".

Read more: Adoption? It's a bundle of woes - The Times of India