Trinidad: Children’s Authority promises easy adoption process

Children’s Authority promises easy adoption process

Published on Jun 16, 2015, 11:37 am AST

By Carolyn Kissoon

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The Children's Authority of Trinidad and Tobago has given the assurance that the new adoption process has become less complicated and time consuming.

The Authority hosted a sensitisation session, which was attended by over 100 persons, to discuss the new adoption process last week Friday. The session was designed for families who were already pre-approved by the former Adoption Board.

Over three weeks ago three key pieces of legislation including the Adoption of Children Act, 2000 were proclaimed to allow the Authority to better respond to the needs of children.

The Authority stated that in the future one of the functions of the Children’s Authority will be the management of the Adoption process.

Stephanie Daly, chairman of the Children's Authority, said the new legislation stripped away the bureaucracy and restrictions which saw persons waiting years after approval, to extend their family.

Daly explained that the new process was more child-friendly, as the views of children, where possible and appropriate, would be taken into consideration. She said more children would be made available for adoption through a court order at an early stage of the process, and that there had been a removal of many of the restrictions on who could apply to adopt, although there would still be careful assessment of the suitability of applicants.

Sharifa Ali-Abdullah, director and chief executive officer of the Authority said there are about 20 children who are currently available for adoption. She said once children who are eligible for adoption are brought to the Authority’s attention, the process will begin, so as to provide them with the most stable and nurturing family environment.

Ali-Abdullah stated that it was important for society to be aware that adoption is a preferred placement option. She said the Authority will invest in technology to expedite the adoption process, as well as rely on the recommendations of social workers and psychologists to place children with the family that is best able to meet their assessed needs.

At the sensitisation session, prospective adopters were able to have their concerns and questions addressed by a panel of experts in family law, social work, adoption and the new legislation.

Many couples who had been waiting for over four years to adopt, expressed confidence that the Authority will make their dream a reality. They noted that through the informative session presented by the Authority, they are once again looking forward to providing a loving home to a child.

One couple appealed to those in attendance to consider opening their hearts and homes to older children. It was stated that many people are hoping to adopt a baby but each child has the right to a family.

The Adoption Board of the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development recently handed over documents to the Adoption Unit of the Authority. Ali-Abdullah said the transition was seamless and thanked officials of the Ministry for their support during the exercise.

Persons wishing to adopt, or are interested in making their child available for adoption may contact the Children’s Authority at 627-0748 or email adoption@ttchildren.org. For more information about the Children’s Authority go to www.ttchildren.org

As at December 2014, 822 children were without parents living in orphanages across Trinidad and Tobago and 26 more were in the foster care system.

Research indicated that less that one per cent of those orphans ever had a chance of being adopted. They will be wards of the State until the age of 18. After that, they are on their own.

Of the 26 children in foster care, only three were in the process of being adopted.

The figures were provided by the Ministry of Gender, Child and Youth Development and the Children’s Authority.

Former Minister Razia Ahmed admitted to the Express that “there are only a few children in this system who may be up for adoption”.

She added that “about three children who currently live in foster care are up for adoption (and) are expected to move out of foster care in less than 24 months”.

The Express found that the reason so few children were being adopted was because the system was so complex.

The Express was told that the process takes more than nine months to complete. Interviews and background checks are necessary to ensure the child is placed in the ideal home. The final steps is a private court hearing where an Adoption Order is prepared. The Adoption Order is the document which permanently transfers the parental rights and responsibilities from the natural/birth parents to the adoptive parents. An adoption certificate is issued that replaces the birth certificate.

The process is free of charge, however applicants have to pay for their own medical examination and certificate of character. The information of the birth parents and adoptive parents are confidential, however when a child reaches 18 years, an appeal in court can be made to release the information.

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