The wait to adopt a child got longer amid pandemic
MUMBAI: The ongoing pandemic has left prospective parents (PPS), hoping to adopt a child, in a sense of uncertainty. The Covid-19 outbreak in March had brought the adoption process to a standstill for several reasons – lack of information, closure of courts and fear of contracting the infection. These reasons refrained PPS from approaching adoption centres.
After being halted in April and May 2020 owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, the process of adoption — considered lengthy and tedious — restarted in June. Since then, 378 children were adopted by domestic applicants, while 59 were adopted by international applicants between June and December last year, data provided by the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) has revealed. In 2019-20, 539 children were adopted domestically, while 69 were adopted internationally in the state.
PPS can’t meet children
To adopt a child, a person needs to apply on Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), after which the applicant’s financial stability, health conditions, among others, undergo scrutiny. A waiting number is handed out to acquire a match as per their requirement which takes a minimum of two years. Once PPS approve the profile of a shortlisted child, they are allowed to meet the child. However, they have the right to refuse adopting the child after face-to-face interaction. “This is the most crucial part of the adoption process. The eye and skin contact helps to develop a bond with the child,” said Siddharth Jagusthe, an advocate who also handles adoption cases in HC.
But during the beginning of the pandemic, CARA instructed SARAS to prohibit PPS from visiting the children for their safety. This dampened the spirit of many parents who waited for years to see a child. “In the beginning of 2020, our centre had six requests for domestic adoption. But when the pandemic broke out, we had to follow the guidelines and didn’t allow PPS to meet the shortlisted There are 44 kids at my centre, but only nine are up for adoption. Most domestic parents demand kids in the age bracket of less than two years, which further narrows down the availability. children to ensure social distancing. Later, four of the applicants withdrew their forms,” said Rahul Jadhav, in-charge, Adharashram adoption centre, Nashik.
Following this new rule, adoption centres started setting up virtual meetings with PPS and children through video calls. Bengaluru resident Digangana Mukherjee (see case study) decided to adopt her daughter after many virtual interactions with the child.
However, for some parents it was quite an emotionally challenging phase as they craved for the human touch. A 46-year-old Rajasthan resident had to wait for two years and three months before getting a call to see a child for adoption in Mumbai on March 18. But before they couple could reach the adoption centre, the national lockdown was declared. “The first lockdown was only for 21 days so we decided to wait. But then it got extended for an unknown period. We could see the child only on video calls. But we would grow restless as I wanted to hug and kiss the girl,” she said. Finally, in October, the family met the girl. Now, they have filed an adoption petition in the district court.
Adoption centres are getting many PPS from neighbouring states for the process. “CARA in December permitted to start face-to-face interaction again by maintaining social distance,” said Dr Vilas Ainapure, president, Vatsalya Trust.
DR VILAS AINAPURE, president, Vatsalya Trust