Govt mulling to tighten post-adoption follow-up

By Rageshri Ganguly

October 3, 2012 / timesofindia.com

BHOPAL: The recent incident of sexual abuse and torture of a five-year-old girl child by her foster parents in Indore have jolted the state government that seems to have woken up to the need of better protection for adopted children.

The state women and child development department (WCD) is mulling about introduction of possible measures that can beef up the child protection scheme aimed towards the safety of children placed under adoption.

Expressing shock over the Indore incident, deputy director of WCD and in-charge of the state integrated child protection scheme (ICPS) Alok Sharma told TOI, "We are working out how to increase the time of follow-up in the adoption cases so that such incidents do not occur."

Currently the duration of the follow-up is two years as per the central adoption resource authority (CARA) guidelines of the ministry of WCD.

Talking about elevating the role of the non-institutional protection officer he said, "The non-institutional protection officer would also follow-up on the adopted child and the duration may be increased from the existing two years."

Currently quarterly inspection is carried out for a period of two years as follow-up.

"Besides vacant posts of officials in the district child protection unit (DCPU) would also be filled within two months so that they can regularly keep a tab on the children placed under foster care," he said.

Sharma informed that about 13 vacant posts in the DCPU including that counsellor, social worker, outreach workers and community volunteers would be filled within a period of two months.

The proposed change in the existing guidelines of follow up and others would also be suggested at a workshop where representatives of CARA from the central ministry of WCD would be present. "The workshop would be held on October 19," Sharma said.

"Also, posters and advertisements are being put up by the WCD in all the 50 districts to increase awareness about the process of adoption and important named and numbers related to it. These are being put up in the district hospitals, collectorate and the main markets," he added.

There are currently 29 adoption agencies in the state which including recognized Indian placement agencies (RIPA) and specialised adoption agencies (SAA) he informed.

Post adoption follow-up

(1) In case of in-country adoption, half yearly progress reports in the first year and in the second year shall be prepared by the specialised adoption agency (SAA) and submitted to state adoption resource agency (SARA) or adoption coordinating agency (ACA).

(2) The special adoption agency may provide post-adoption counselling services for adoptees and adoptive parents.

(3) The follow-up measures shall continue up to a period of two years after the child acquires citizenship of the receiving country.

(4) The authorized foreign adoption agencies (AFFA) shall also provide post adoption data to CARA through CARA's web-based management system.

(5) The AFAA shall organise annual get-together of adopted children and adoptive parents and forward a report on the event to CARA.

(6) The AFAA may conduct post-adoption counselling for adoptees and the parents.

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PPL editing note:  See  Girl adopted by Rajesh Sengar and Bebi Sengar