ADOPTION
SERVICES
At Shishu Mandir, we see adoption as a way to help children find families and therefore a more secure life. We are a registered Specialised Adoption Agency (SAA) licensed under the Department of Women and Child Development, to facilitate in-country and inter-country adoptions. As of 2023, 468 children have benefited from our service and 577 prospective adoptive parents have been supported for adoption from other centres in India.
HOW
WE WORK.
All the children, who are brought to us for adoption, are admitted through the Child Welfare Committee. Some children are abandoned, while others are surrendered by their biological parent/s. We do not refuse any child abandoned and surrendered because of medical issues. Often newborn babies with medical conditions don’t find many takers because of the cost of treatment. Over the years several babies have come to us with mild to severe medical conditions including glass bone disease, congenital heart disease requiring heart surgery, HIV, developmental issues, deformities etc. We have tried to obtain the best possible medical care for every child.
All the babies, who come to us are taken into our Children’s Home, where we have staff available round the clock to look after them. Every baby is given a name by us, which may change, when they are adopted, but during the time they spend with us, we know them by a name and treat them as a family member.
Those who wish to adopt must register on the CARINGS website. Shishu Mandir prepares the home study report and assists prospective parents to get into the queue. Prospective adoptive parents get a child referral based on the geographical preference they have selected. We conduct the adoption process as per the guidelines issued by CARINGS. For more details, please visit carings.wcd.gov.in
WOMEN IN CRISES.
We provide short stay facilities for women in crises, who need support during pregnancy and wish to surrender their newborn baby. We also counsel them and ensure that all efforts are made to keep the children with the biological family. If they choose to surrender their child, we assist them with the next steps towards surrendering the baby for adoption. They are also given 2 months for children under two years of age and 4 months for children over two years of age to reconsider their decision to give the child for adoption.
HOME STUDY REPORTS.
Our social workers also write home study reports for families who have registered for adoption with us. In the last 8 years (2015-2023) we have completed 2,039 home study reports. We also provide post placement follow-up report services for families, who have adopted a baby for whom we did the home study report.
OUR IMPACT.
Some of the most moving incidents have been with abandoned newborn babies, who were brought to us in appalling conditions. Babies have come, with severe animal bites, infections, abandoned immediately after birth and usually severely undernourished. Some require extensive hospitalisation, others require surgery. Sometimes the problems are very complicated. Yet, we have never stopped without exhausting all options in taking care of the conditions and in ensuring the most suitable home for these babies. The joy of the parents seeing a baby for the first time and feeling that their heart’s wish has come true is truly rewarding.