Latest news with #CARA
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Longing for child leads couples down illegal path amid endless wait, onerous adoption process in Telangana
1 2 Hyderabad: When a Hyderabad-based businessman and his wife, both in their mid-thirties, decided to adopt a baby after years of trying to conceive a child, they had no clue they would run into an unending wait and onerous procedures. Tired of waiting for nearly two years, the couple has now given up all hope of ever being able to fulfil their dream of becoming parents. On the other hand, a childless Hyderabad-based techie couple, fed up with the long wait and complicated legal adoption process, took another route in their yearning to become parents. "We tried applying through the official portal, but the process was extremely complicated and long. And since we were already in our mid-30s, we didn't want to wait for a few more years. Buying felt like the simpler route. So when the opportunity came, we paid around two lakh for our daughter. We raised her as our own, until she was taken away from us last year," says the techie whose illegally bought child was rescued by the Rachakonda police in May 2024. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad In the last two years, Telangana authorities have rescued at least 25 children from illegal adoption or baby-selling networks: while 15 were rescued in a 2024 Rachakonda bust, 10 were rescued during a 2025 Suryapet operation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo Of these, only 16 children have so far been declared legally free for adoption while nine remain embroiled in legal disputes initiated by adoptive parents who acquired them illegally. This despite the fact that over 320 children are up for adoption in Telangana alone. With a growing number of childless couples resorting to the illegal practice of buying babies instead of following the legal adoption process, officials and child rights advocates say the root of the problem lies in the complicated procedures laid down by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). While CARA was established to ensure transparency and child protection in adoptions, several officials working closely with the system now admit that the very framework meant to safeguard children has become a barrier for many well-meaning prospective parents. According to members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), women and child welfare department, the minimum waiting period to legally adopt a child through CARA is currently three years. "Even after a couple completes all formalities, there is no certainty about when they will be matched with a child. That lack of timeline itself discourages many. Just putting a child up free for adoption itself sometimes takes a minimum of three months," says CWC chairman Raja Reddy. "For instance, in the case of a surrendered or abandoned kid, we have to wait for a minimum of two months, just in case the biological parents change their mind and come back to take their child because we have seen such cases also in the past," Reddy of CWC explains. Officials say the problem begins right from the start. Once a couple registers on CARA's online portal, they must undergo a home study conducted by a social worker, attend counselling sessions, and submit a range of documents. However, agencies handling these cases are often under-resourced and backlogged. "In some cases, it takes six months just for the home study report to be uploaded. Then there's another long wait for the child referral. Then background checks take another half a year at least," he adds. The Adoption Regulations, 2022, state: "The prospective adoptive parents shall be physically, mentally, emotionally and financially capable; shall not have any life-threatening medical condition; and shall not have any past or pending criminal case." While the intent is to protect the child's well-being, officials admit the guidelines are sometimes applied too rigidly. "Matching is done based strictly on seniority and availability. Couples cannot choose a child based on gender or mild health conditions. They are shown three children and must accept or reject them within 48 hours," says N Mothi, regional joint director and head of the department of the adoption wing at the department of women and child welfare. "The prospective adoptive parents shall be referred to a maximum of three referrals with one-month interval in between two consecutive referrals subject to availability of children through the designated portal which shall include their photographs, child study report and medical examination report, in their preference category, if any," read the CARA guidelines. "After viewing the profile of the child or children on the designated portal, the prospective adoptive parents may reserve the child or children within a period of forty-eight hours for possible adoption and the unreserved child or children shall be released by the designated portal for other prospective adoptive parents in the waiting list," say the CARA guidelines. According to Mothi, there are currently 320 children up for adoption in Telangana, including about 200 in Hyderabad's Sishu Vihar and about 10 each in each of the 12 district Sishu Griha centers. "These children fall under `surrendered', `abandoned' and `orphaned' categories. Recently two more categories have been added namely -- `no visitation', which states that if a child has not had visitation by a parent or relative for a year, they are deemed a fit case for being put up for adoption, and the fifth one is `unfit guardian'," explains Shobha, an official working with the adoption cell of women and child welfare department. Child rights advocates dealing with cases of buying of children along with CWC and cops shared concern -- most parents prefer children from their own state, culture or religion. "Many parents prefer children from their own state, religion and culture. But it is a common platform. If you reject all three children, you have to undergo the whole process from the beginning and chances are very less that you will get a child of your preference. While this is meant to avoid discrimination, it also leaves many prospective parents feeling powerless, so ironically, for these parents, buying a child becomes a more convenient option," says M A Saleem, from NGO CONARE, which works in rural areas for spreading awareness about legal adoption procedures and child marriages, among others. A couple trying to adopt a baby through CARA explains why they gave up on the process. "Everything depends on a queue that moves very slowly, and most couples have no way of knowing how far along they are. The structure is too linear and centralised," says the husband. While officials within the system acknowledge the need for safeguards, there is also growing consensus that reforms are urgently needed. Suggestions include simplifying the documentation process, allowing state-level flexibility in matching, expanding the pool of children by speeding up the legal process for declaring them free for adoption, and offering more support to adoption agencies. "A key challenge we face is the lack of awareness about the process. This needs to be addressed through targeted public awareness campaigns across all media platforms," says Jyoti Mathur, Advisor, (Policy & Research), Just Rights For Children. "Additionally, in natural birth, parents typically have no control over their child's health and accept them unconditionally, regardless of any disabilities or ailments. However, in adoption, prospective parents often seek what they perceive as the `best possible option,' which can lead to significant delays in the adoption process. The long waiting periods could potentially be shortened by improving accountability within adoption institutions," adds Mathur. While others feel that while the system was created to protect children, it should not become a barrier for them to find loving families. "We need to make the process more empathetic without compromising on safety. Bridging the gap between the legal framework and public awareness is imperative to ensure that prospective parents are guided towards ethical adoption routes, thereby averting the heartbreak and consequences that arise from illegal alternatives," says Akshay Mehra, an advocate who deals with cases of illegal adoption and has also worked with Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
West Bengal sees highest pendency as over 2,700 children await adoption across India
NEW DELHI: As many as 2,768 children are currently awaiting adoption in the country, with West Bengal allegedly reporting the highest number of such pendency, followed by Uttar Pradesh, government data has shown. Despite the Adoption Regulation, 2022, mentioning timelines for authorities and agencies in handling adoption matters, the process continues to take time as it involves multiple stakeholders. According to data from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a nodal body mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions, West Bengal has the highest pendency, with 352 adoption cases. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh (318), Odisha (262), Maharashtra (250), Telangana (201), Bihar (196), Delhi (176), Madhya Pradesh (139), Andhra Pradesh (128), Punjab (112), Karnataka (106), Rajasthan (75), Tamil Nadu (53) and Kerala (45). Officials said the referral and adoption of a child depend upon the preference made by the Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) regarding the child's age, health condition, and state during online registration on the CARINGS portal, leading to delays in some cases.
Miami Herald
22-07-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Senior dog sisters waited at shelter together. Then man ‘fell in love with both'
A shelter didn't want two senior dogs to be separated — then a man 'fell in love with both of them.' Now, the canine sisters have been adopted together in North Carolina. 'They have adjusted to their new life seamlessly and I feel so incredibly lucky to have come across these two,' Andrew Chappelow, the dogs' new owner, told McClatchy News in a July 17 email. 'They have given me far more than I have given them, and I can't wait to give them the best golden years!' Carolina Animal Rescue & Adoption (CARA) celebrated as Sasha and Daisy got a second chance. Their previous owner loved them and kept them in good shape, but she couldn't keep them, McClatchy News reported in June. 'They came to the rescue as owner surrenders, due to their owner not having time to spend with them anymore,' the Sanford-based shelter wrote in a past email. 'Work obligations made it nearly impossible for them to have any human interaction. She tried having family take them, but no one was working out.' Sasha, 15, and Daisy, 12, aren't biological sisters and were brought into their previous owner's home two years apart. After they landed at the shelter, the dogs became known for their sweet, quiet nature and love for cuddling. 'They really just want to find a calm and loving home with someone who has time to spend with them,' the shelter wrote while the dogs were up for adoption. 'They also want to find someone who can keep up with their vet care and grooming needs.' Chappelow, meanwhile, was searching for a laid-back furry friend. He found Sasha's online adoption profile and saw she had a sister. 'My girlfriend and I made the trip from Wilmington, NC to Sanford on June 28th in order to meet the two pups and fell in love with both of them immediately,' he wrote. Then came the emotional moment when he adopted Sasha and Daisy into his home. Workers at CARA, a roughly 40-mile drive southwest from Raleigh, celebrated as the two settled in with their new owner. 'He reported back that they are doing so well, and he loves them so much,' the shelter told McClatchy News via email. 'All of our staff were just THRILLED that they were placed in a home together, especially in their older age!'
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
For every child free for adoption, 13 parents wait in line : Data
For years now, the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) — the country's nodal adoption agency — has struggled to effectively manage adoptions. While a significant number of parents are willing to adopt, only a limited number of children are legally cleared for adoption. This imbalance has not gone unnoticed. In 2022, a Parliamentary panel called this imbalance a 'paradoxical situation,' and in 2023, the Supreme Court 'expressed displeasure' over the time-consuming adoption process. Latest data obtained through a Right To Information application filed by The Hindu show that the asymmetry continues even in 2025, and the gap has widened further. In 2021, 26,734 prospective parents registered in the CARA portal, and 2,430 children were legally free for adoption. In other words, there were 11 prospective parents for every child free for adoption in 2021. As of mid-July 2025, the number of prospective parents has grown to 36,381 — an increase of about 9,600 from 2021 — while the number of children legally free for adoption has increased to 2,652 — only 222 more than in 2021. Currently, there are 13 prospective parents for every child free for adoption as shown in the chart below. The rise in the number of prospective parents could be one reason behind the growing gap. 'The number of people opting for adoption has substantially increased. Issues such as infertility are no longer the only reasons why parents consider adoption', said Gayatri Abraham, the founder of Padme, a comprehensive adoption resource platform for Indian parents. Still, in a country where an estimated 3.1 crore children were orphans according to the 2020 World Orphan Report, the fact that only a couple of thousands were identified as free for adoption is difficult to justify. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and West Bengal accounted for over 50% of prospective parents in 2025, as shown in the chart below. The average delay for prospective parents to get an adoption referral has increased from one year in 2017 to three years by 2022, to about 3.5 years currently. If CARA does not act soon, the delay will increase further in the coming years and 'force parents to adopt a child illegally', as warned by the Parliamentary Committee. The Juvenile Justice Act (2021) lists out a time-bound procedure for a child in Child Care Institutions (CCI) to be declared legally free for adoption. Yet, the status of its implementation remains questionable. 'There are so many stakeholders on the ground. Nobody is held accountable for not implementing', says Smriti Gupta, co-founder of Where Are India's Children, a Child Welfare and Action Foundation. She said that implementation could be a huge challenge due to resource limitations, lack of training, and a gap in linkages between adoption agencies and the CCIs. She added that the idea that every child deserves a family is not strong in India. Data shows that over 22,000 children are in the CCIs, 8.5 times more than the number of children legally free for adoption, in 2025 (2,652). The children in the CCIs include those orphaned, abandoned, surrendered by parents and those who have parents/guardians who are unfit for parenting or do not visit them. The process of declaring children in the CCIs as legally free for adoption remains a grey area. Smriti Gupta explained, 'There are children whose parents keep them in the shelter because of economic issues. They might occasionally visit them. There is another set of kids who are completely abandoned/orphaned. Then, there are these kids in the middle, who have a guardian/parent on paper. And this person never visits the child, but exists only on paper. CARA is pushing to evaluate children with no visitation and an unfit parent/guardian, but needs a lot of follow up and follow through.' Because of these complexities, not every child in the CCIs can be made free for adoption. Even after accounting for that, the gap between the number of children in these institutions and those entering the adoption pool is still quite high. For instance, in Himachal Pradesh, only one child is legally free for adoption in 2025, whereas 829 are in the CCIs, as shown in the chart below. In Maharashtra, only 236 children are legally free for adoption, while 5,284 are in the CCIs. It will be a big leap to assume that these gaps are only due to the complexities stated above and the delay needs to be audited. The delay in declaring children legally free for adoption reduces their chances of getting adopted. Close to 34% of the children currently in the adoption pool fall in the 14-18 age group. As the Parliamentary Committee had stated, 'older children and children with special needs are usually not preferred for adoption by Indian parents'. Moreover, delay would make it harder for the child, who has been in the institution for so long, to adapt as well. The longer wait times also have an impact on the registered prospective parents. Gayatri said, 'Many parents start looking for children in the 0-2 group. Then, they see the waitline is three years, and become anxious. They then become willing to make the switch to adopt slightly older children, willing to jump the queue. Waitline shouldn't be the reason one changes categories, especially not while going through the process.' Sources: RTI reply received from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the 2020 Orphan Report (INSAMER), and 'Review of Guardianship and Adoption Laws', by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law sambavi.p@ vignesh.r@
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
CARA asks State adoption agencies to strengthen counselling process
The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has issued comprehensive directions to all State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARAs) to strengthen and institutionalise structured counselling services throughout the adoption process — from pre-adoption, to during adoption, and post-adoption stages. These directions have been issued via a communication dated July 7 under the powers conferred by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021), and are aligned with the provisions laid down under the Adoption Regulations, 2022, an official statement said here on Thursday. CARA is a statutory body of the Ministry of Women and Child Development which acts as the nodal agency for the adoption of Indian children, both within the country and internationally. This latest initiative aims to reinforce the psychosocial support framework for all key stakeholders — prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), adopted children, and biological parents who surrender their child for adoption. Critical component CARA has emphasised that counselling is a critical component of the adoption process and is necessary to ensure emotional preparedness, smooth transition, and long-term well-being of both the children and the families involved. The memorandum reiterates the mandatory nature of structured and need-based counselling services, as prescribed under various provisions of the Adoption Regulations, 2022. The State adoption boards have been instructed to designate or empanel qualified counsellors at the district and State levels. These professionals should ideally have a background in child psychology, mental health, or social work. It has been made mandatory to provide pre-adoption counselling to prospective adoptive parents during the Home Study Report (HSR) process, in accordance with Regulation 10(7). Additionally, older children must receive counselling support both before and during the adoption process, the statement said. It said post-adoption counselling is to be provided in specific situations, such as when an adopted child initiates a root search to trace their origins, in cases of non-adjustment between the child and adoptive family, or in any situation indicating potential disruption or dissolution of the adoption. The directions also include provisions for psychosocial intervention in any other circumstances as assessed by the Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs) or District Child Protection Units (DCPUs).
