High hopes hinder adoption in state

Adoption is no child's play but that isn't stopping couples from queuing up with high expectations for a child with curly hair, dimples or above average IQ.

In some cases, couples volunteering for adoption tend to get overwhelmed and drop out midway which, child rights activists say, is because of want of counselling.

The trend sustains even as the number of couples in Karnataka waiting for adoption remains high compared to the number of children available. According to statistics with the Central Adoption Resources Agency (CARA), 237 children (107 boys and 130 girls) were adopted in Karnataka in 2018-19. While there was no data available on the number of parents waiting to adopt in the state, activists estimate the parent-child ratio to be 20:1.

Couples interested in adoption have to register on the CARA website. CARA sends them pictures of three children in line for adoption from which the parents are allowed to choose. The process is done in coordination with the respective State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARA). If the couples reject, their names will be put at the bottom of the waiting list for future consideration, while the names of other couples will be bumped up.

“My observation is that people volunteer without clarity on the purpose of adoption. Some see it as social service. Others get inspired by celebrities. Adoption involves sheer dedication and patience,” says child rights activist Nagasimha G Rao, who works with the city-based Child Rights Trust.

When their expectations are not met, couples get disappointed, only to never return. In other instances, they return the child after adoption. In one case, the parents brought back the child as he watched “too much TV” and in another, the child was lying to them, Rao said.

The Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, specifies measures for providing orientation to couples before adoption. However, there aren’t many counsellors available and the counselling is not conducted in a systematic manner, activists who spoke to DH unanimously agreed.

Need for trained professionals

Activist Vasudeva Sharma, also with Child Rights Trust, says there is a need for specialists working in the area of adoption. “There are MSW workers who are involved in adoption. Unless a person is specifically trained in this area, he/she will be unable to deal with the nuances of adoption.”

Kids need counselling

While emphasising the need for counselling for parents, Anjali Ramanna, chairperson, Child Welfare Committee (CWC), insisted on counselling for children who were in line for adoption too. “I think the children should be prepared first. Parents find support groups. But children are left on their own to figure their way around a new family. The present system is making it difficult on children,” she says.