WCD: Australia resumes adoptions from India after eight years of suspension

NEW DELHI: Australia has resumed adoption of children from India after it was suspended eight years ago over charges of trafficking by some recognised Indian placement agencies, a senior WCD official said on Tuesday.

The suspension was enforced in 2010 and the Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry along with Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) were constantly engaging with the Australian government for recommencement of the programme, he said.

“The ministry was in constant touch with the Australian government to relent and allow adoptions from India and they have finally agreed,” the official said.

The suspension was enforced over charges of child trafficking for inter-country adoption by some recognised Indian placement agencies, the official said without naming the agencies.

“The regulations of intercountry adoptions have been made strict by Government of India with the enactment of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and notification of Adoption Regulations, 2017,” he said.

A total of 651 inter-country adoptions from India were recorded in 2017-18.

According to the Special Broadcasting Service in Australia, Assistant Minister for Children and Families David Gillespie confirmed the news and said the recommendation was to start with small numbers.

Gillespie said India had “improved its processes” to comply with the Hague convention on adoption and could rejoin the 13 countries still on Australia’s approved adoption list.

“We don’t want to see child trafficking, we don’t want to see children that aren’t getting what they deserve. That is a permanent, safe, caring home,” Gillespie was quoted by the SBS News as saying.