Procedures
and Agencies
Contrary to popular beliefs, the process of adoption is
relatively simple and streamlined. At the first meeting with both of
you, basic information about adoption will be exchanged. You can
also clarify what you need to know about procedures and documents. This
is probably a good time to decide the age and the sex of the child you plan to
adopt.
Once your papers are ready, the next step is normally an
interview with both of you followed by a home visit. This home visit or
home study is conducted by a social worker. It might seem unfair that
someone is passing a judgement on your ability to be parents when biological
parents go through no such assessments. The purpose of the evaluation is
not only to decide how suitable you are as adoptive parents, but also to meet
the agencies’ responsibilities for the welfare and protection of the child.
Because the agency helping you also has legal custody and moral responsibility
of the child, they make their decision only after a careful assessment.
This home study can be seen as an opportunity to have your doubts and
apprehensions clarified so that you feel confident about your decision.
Once these formalities are over, the next step is to identify
the child for you. What is recommended is that, during the home study and
pre-adoption meetings, you discuss with the social worker a profile of the child
you have in mind. The social worker then uses her own skills and
judgements in order to identify and locate a baby that matches your
expectations. She will also help you to reflect on the realistic nature
of your expectations. Because couples have longed for a child for so
long, their expectations may exceed a reasonable limit which may not even be
guaranteed through a biological process. At this point it may be
emphasised that the expectations should not go beyond the age, sex and medical
health of the child. Usually, the social worker can be trusted to find
the ‘best’ child for you. Experience shows that most adoptive parents
like the first child shown to them and this is because the social worker uses a
great deal of discretion in ‘matching’ the child, based on her understanding of
your expectations and needs.
It is not a good idea to see many children before selecting the
one you find most appealing. It can be emotionally traumatic for the
couple to accept a single child from amongst many and reject the rest. It
is believed to place a tremendous pressure on the accepted child to live up to
the expectations of the adoptive parents.
It is mandatory to bring a child specialist of your choice to
ensure that the child is medically fit and has no serious illness. This
is achieved through a number of clinical and diagnostic tests as recommended by
your doctor.
The last step in the process is the legal aspect. Usually
the agency guides you to a legal expert or lawyer who will help you through the
various steps. The legal fees should not exceed Rupees three
thousand. The parents will have to appear in Court along with a
representative of the agency to formalise the adoption.
You are required by law to submit regular progress reports
regarding the health, development and education of the child until she is five
years old.
It is important to remember that if at any stage of the process,
you do not feel comfortable with the idea of adoption or the child, you must
discuss these feelings with your social worker without guilt.
1. Birth Certificates of the Adoptive Couple (photocopies)
2. Marriage Certificate (photocopies)
3. Health Certificate of the Couple prepared by the Family
Doctor orany other Registered Medical Practitioner and of Biological and
Adopted Children if any
4. Gynaecological Report: Infertility should be
mentioned if applicable. This Report must include the line of treatment
the couple is undergoing or has undergone, the period of treatment
5. Recent Postcard Size Photograph of the Couple (5 Copies)
6. Recommendations--3 Letters of Recommendation by Persons
of good standing who know the family well as prospective adoptive parents.
7. Income Statement—Income Certificate from the employer
indicating Gross and Net Salary, Designation and Length of Service. In
case of Self Employed Persons, Income Tax Returns or a Certificate from a
Chartered Accountant stating the parents’ monthly or annual income. These
may be supplemented by bank account statement, of land or other property owned
8. If both parents are working, a joint statement
expressing the child care arrangements they foresee once they have a child
9. Undertaking from a close relative expressing his/her
willingness to look after the child in the case of the couples’ inability to
look after the child or death