Eyes lit as they adopt girl

Sumeer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 12

Ten-year wait for Nikhil and Sara (name changed) came to a happy end today as they walked out of the District Child Protection Office (DCPO), Mini Secretariat, holding their daughter Anika (name changed) after they fulfilled all legal and medical formalities required for child adoption.

A glint of happiness was clearly visible in the couple’s eyes when DCPO committee members, after thoroughly scrutinising the documents and prolonged interactive session, nodded in a yes for the adoption.

Hailing from a south Indian state, Anika’a mother is a chartered accountant and father is in a senior position in a reputed automobile company and had applied for adoption in July 2016.

Anika is the first girl child among three children adopted in the district in the past 14 months, since the official child adoption agency was established at Shri Anath Ashram, Nathana, in October, 2016.

Earlier, prospective adopters for children had to visit the official child adoption agency at the government orphanage in Faridkot.

Two children adopted from the agency in the past six months were boys. One of them was adopted by a non resident Indian (NRI).

Of seven children (four girls and three boys) admitted to the Nathana agency in past one year, four are still waiting to be adopted.

A DCPO member requesting anonymity said, “It’s quite rare that a married couple would place a request on CARA to adopt a girl child. So, Anika is a blessed child in that sense as her parents are not only well-educated but financially strong to ensure a fulfilling life for her.”

Apart from three adoptions in the past one year, there have been two rejections also on legal and financial grounds.

As the availability of children for adoption is less as compare to the demand of adopters in the country, a prospective adopter has to wait at least for one and a half year before his/her turn comes.

These children are transferred from the cradle (bhangura) at Mahant Gurbanta Dass School for Deaf and Dumb on the Goniana road to the adoption agency.

The Bhangura Scheme was introduced in January 2008. It facilitates the well-being of destitute children. The scheme provides for an arrangement where anybody who does not want their child can leave it in the cradle.

A prospective adopter or couple needs to register and apply for child adoption on the official website of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and fulfil required formalities that include uploading documents (IT returns of past three years, DOB proof, ID proof, marriage certificate and occupation among others). 

Thereafter, a home study report (HSR) is prepared by the DCPO committee concerned where the prospective adopter has applied for adoption. 

While preparing the HSR report, DCPO members ensure that the adopter meets eligibility criterion related to finance, education and analyse whether the future of the child would be in safe hands or not.

Apart from facilitating and guiding the adoption process, CARA also ensures that proper monitoring is being done in future to ensure that the adopters are meeting the stipulated criteria.