Centre to revise adoption guidelines

The central government has decided to revise the existing guidelines for adoption in the country to simplify the procedure and curb excessive delays.

At a meeting with senior officials of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) here, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi decided that the ministry would work for giving statutory status to CARA.

It was also decided that CCTV cameras would be installed in all recognised adoption homes and no child would remain in the home for more than 100 days after declaration by Child Welfare Committee as being legally free.

The minister will write to all chief justices and district courts to minimise delays in issuance of court order and specialised adoption agencies will be blacklisted if they fail to update and upload information, it was decided.

Maneka Gandhi told officials that CARA would ask all Child Welfare Committees in the country to expeditiously issue CWC certificates for legally free adoption of children, a senior official said.

Cases of Indian origin parents will be considered as domestic adoption cases, the official said.