Adoptive parents returned 179 children in last 3 yrs: WCD Ministry

Adoptive parents returned 179 children in the last three years after taking them in their care for fostering, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has informed Parliament.

While 174 children were returned after the legal formalities were over, five children were sent back while the legal procedure was underway and the children were in pre-adoption foster care with prospective parents, the ministry has said in a reply to a query in Lok Sabha.

"The adoption process is conducted through online platform, i.e. CARINGS (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System). The disruption (post legal formalities are conducted)/dissolution (before legal formalities) is mainly observed in cases of placement of older children primarily due to the adjustment issues of the child with the family," minister for WCD Smriti Irani said.

"Emphasis is being given for the counselling of parents adopting older children and the older children being placed in adoption. Regular awareness programme and training for capacity building of various stakeholders are also organised from time to time to facilitate the adoption process," she said.

From 2016-2019, 9860 in-country adoptions have taken place, the ministry said.