Ambika Pandit / TNN / Updated: Mar 31, 2024, 00:41 IST
Central Adoption Resource Authority (Cara) introduces a new process to include children from child care institutions as 'no visitation' and 'unfit guardian' categories for adoption. States and UTs to expedite registrations under Supreme Court
NEW DELHI: Central Adoption Resource Authority (Cara) has written to states and Union Territories laying out the step-by-step procedure under the modified registration process to bring into foster care and adoption pool children living in child care institutions identified to have not been visited by any family members for a certain stipulated time or whose guardians are found to be unfit to care for them due to any mental or terminal illness.
They will be included in the adoption pool under two new categories - "no visitation" and "unfit guardian".
On March 28, Cara, which comes under ministry of women and child development, issued an office memorandum addressed to all state-level authorities putting down the procedure to build on earlier directions in the matter on expediting registrations across all five categories. This is in compliance with Supreme Court's Nov 20 directions to identify and register all such children languishing in CCIs and those not reaching the care institutions without any delay.
Earlier, children were being registered on Cara's 'Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance' 'CARINGS' portal where prospective adoptive parents are matched with children, under three categories: "orphan, abandoned and surrendered (OAS)". All 'OAS' category children are generally rehabilitated through adoption after CWC declares them legally free for adoption.
"As far as children registered under the category of "no visitation" and "unfit guardians" are concerned, they will primarily be potential cases for foster care. Once such children are declared legally free, their permanent rehabilitation can be facilitated through adoption," Cara states in its memorandum to all state adoption resource authorities, district child protection units, specialised adoption agencies and child care institutions.
The final number of children in these categories is expected to be compiled by end of next week by Cara based on reports from states and UTs upto March 31. The court in its order of March 15 directed all states to submit the data to WCD ministry by April 8. The ministry is expected to furnish the data to the court by April 15 where the case is scheduled to be taken up for hearing on April 19.
In its previous affidavit in SC, govt said that 32 states and UTs had identified 9,127 children in the the age group of 7-11 and 12-18 years in the category of no visitation and unfit guardian. Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan have reported more than 100 such children. Also an additional 11,546 children in the "orphan, abandoned and surrendered" category had been identified in the same age groups by 27 states and UTs.
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