The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has issued fresh guidelines to all States and Union Territories, urging them to reinforce counselling services at every stage of the adoption process. This step aims to create a robust support system for biological parents, prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), and the children involved.
Why Counselling is Critical in Adoption
Adoption is not just a legal process—it is an emotional journey. CARA’s latest directive emphasizes that counselling must be embedded at three key stages:
- Pre-adoption: Helping PAPs understand their motivations and readiness for adoption.
- During adoption: Providing emotional support and answering practical questions from all parties.
- Post-adoption: Ensuring smooth integration of the child into the family and offering trauma-informed care when needed.
State-Level Adoption Committees Strengthened
CARA urged State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARAs) to strengthen State Adoption Committees (SACs) with qualified experts, including psychologists, pediatricians, and legal professionals. The committee’s role is vital in assessing cases, especially for children with special needs or from vulnerable backgrounds.
These multi-disciplinary teams will guide not just the matching process but also help parents prepare for the unique challenges of adoptive parenting.
Training and Monitoring to be Enhanced
To ensure the success of the counselling initiative, CARA will roll out targeted training for District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) and agencies involved in adoption. A national monitoring system will track whether families are offered mandatory sessions and whether post-adoption care is being followed.
The authority also emphasized the importance of child-friendly counselling spaces and the need to integrate counselling with CARA’s online adoption tracking system.
Aligning with the Vision of a Child-Centric India
This initiative is a major step in strengthening child rights and ensuring that adoption becomes a smoother, psychologically safe journey. As India moves towards a more compassionate and inclusive social structure, CARA’s push for counselling is both timely and necessary.
Experts believe this move will reduce adoption disruptions and improve the mental health of adoptive children—especially those transitioning from institutional care to family life.
