Childless couples attend adoption policy awareness session in Gurgaon

After HT report about unclear norms hindering adoptions in Haryana, Gurgaon administration holds workshop

The district administration has organised a four-hour awareness programme for childless couples on adoption policies at the Mini-Secretariat in Gurgaon on Friday.

The four-hour awareness programme for childless couples on adoption policies was held at the Mini-Secretariat in Gurgaon on Friday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Several childless couples in the city were unclear of the norms of child adoption, and hence the women and child department had asked the district programme officer to organise the same for parents and private child institutions.

This came after HT reported that unclear norms were hindering child adoption in Haryana.

It was learnt that childless couples often visited Child Care Institutes (CCI) in Gurgaon and nearby areas to adopt a child. They were given false promises by CCI officials and were misguided.

“We had organised the workshop with the child welfare committee, district child and protection unit officials and all the CCI members of Gurgaon and Nuh. Many parents had also visited the officials to know about the guidelines,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, additional deputy commissioner.

“The parents in the district wait for years to adopt a child, and the a number of children available for adoption are low in the state. There was no clarity regarding the process and the one-day awareness session gave a clear picture of various procedures of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and how it functions in the state. Legal adoption could only take place through specialised adoption agencies, which number only four in the state,” said Shakuntala Dhull, chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Gurgaon.

“We have decided to put public notices to spread awareness for the adoption process of CARA guidelines in the district. We want parents to know whom to contact and how to apply for adoption, which is not at all a difficult task,” Dhull said.

Childless couples visited the CCIs, were misguided about the process of adoption, and many had complained to authorities about the unclear norms. Such sessions will be conducted regularly in the district to sensitise the public about guidelines, she said.

“We have been trying to adopt a baby for last two years and have visited several orphanages in the state. We were even duped by two men who promised us a baby in November last year. We have met the officials and have filled the form on Friday. We hope that the officials deliver on their promises,” said a couple on condition of anonymity.