Ensure teen’s well being before sending her to shelter home: HC

In view of the psychological problems faced by the teenager who was sent back to India after a failed international adoption, the Bombay High Court asked the agencies concerned to ensure her well being before thinking of shifting her to another shelter home.

In view of the psychological problems faced by the teenager who was sent back to India after a failed international adoption, the Bombay High Court asked the agencies concerned to ensure her well being before thinking of shifting her to another shelter home.

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“I am worried about her. The child has faced several problems,” said Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on Friday after he was told that the Family Service Centre plans to shift the girl from an asylum in Bangalore to Arushi, a shelter home in Gurgaon.

In 2006, Anita (14) and her eight-year-old sister Sonia (names changed) were given for adoption in the US. Sonia adjusted to the new home, but Anita faced problems and underwent psychiatric treatment there.

Anita was repatriated to India. She is undergoing treatment in an institution in Bangalore.

Before allowing the agency to move her to Gurgaon, the HC has called for a psychological evaluation report from Dr S.
Sheshadri, who is treating her at Bangalore, to check if it would not cause her further psychological problems. “The report should also contain whether rehabilitation is advisable in the first place,” observed Justice Chandrchud. The HC asked the foreign adoption agency to bear the costs of Anita’s treatment and rehabilitation.

The HC is in the process of making the guidelines for international adoption more stringent and will finalise them on January 8.

Meanwhile, another single judge of the HC is likely to frame guidelines on direct adoptions under the Juvenile Justice Act on Saturday. In the draft guidelines, the judge said after adoption the court should be informed about the child’s progress.