Family and Child Welfare

Family and Child Welfare 3 (3+0)

Lesson 25 : Court Actions in Relation to Adoption

State Adoption Cell

The guidelines of Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) for regulating in-country adoptions of children provides for setting up a State Adoption Cell in every State/UT. However, a very few States/UTs have set up these Cell so far. The ICPS shall provide support to the State Governments/UT Administration in setting up such Cells.

The State Adoption Cell shall be setup at each State/UT to facilitate, supervise and monitor all the adoption programmes and agencies at State levels with support of the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA). The Cell shall liaison with the District Child Protection Unit at District levels and provided technical support to the Child Welfare Committees and Juvenile Justice Boards in carrying out the process of rehabilitation and social reintegration of all children through adoption, foster care and sponsorship. The specific roles and responsibilities of the State Adoption Cell shall include:

Goals of State Adoption Cell

• Ensure that all Adoptions/permanent placements of children are done in accordance with the Laws and Guidelines of the Supreme Court of India and Government of India;
• Promote in-country and regulate inter-country adoptions;
• Identify adoptable children with the help of District Child Protection Units, ICDS functionaries and local bodies and maintain a centralized (state-specific) database of adoptable children;
• Coordinate the Adoption Coordinating Agency (ACA) and Sponsorship and Foster Placement Agencies (SFPA);
• License Child Care Institutions (CCIs) to do Indian Adoptions and recommend to CARA appropriate CCIs to be recognized as Inter-Country Placement Agencies;
• Maintain a comprehensive List of CCIs involved in adoption;
• Ensure that all adoptable children are registered and place adoptable children with prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) and to handle matters incidental thereto.
• Act as the clearing house of adoption information at the state level;
• Furnish the list of adoptable children and prospective adoptive parents to CARA and facilitate interstate placement of children, where necessary;
• Enhance capacity of district level functionaries involved in adoption including child protection officers and counselors;
• Provide comprehensive and desegregated adoption data to CARA in the prescribed format on monthly basis;
• Take necessary punitive action when malpractices occur in the adoption programme whether by licensed /recognized adoption agencies or by unlicensed individuals or organizations;
• Check and take necessary action in all malpractices in adoption including illegal adoptions;

Awareness generation for promoting adoptions in the State. Detailed guidelines for setting up State/District Child Protection Units along with financial support to be provided by the Central Government under this scheme are being prepared.