Imphal, December 02: Breaking free from the traditional concept of child adoption through mutual consent to fulfil the need of the families of childless couples, close-knit Manipuri society has been opening up to the idea of adoption through legal procedure even as more and more children homes in the State have started rendering legal adoption services in their quest to ensure the rights and identities of the abandoned, surrendered or orphaned children whose population has been on the rise due to various factors.

The popularity and acceptance of adoption in Manipuri society through legal procedure can also be gauged from the number of applications from Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) which are pending in the Court for clearance.

According to child psychologists, the best methodology for rehabilitation and social integration of relinquished, abandoned or orphaned children is to ensure the child's right to a family through adoption which is being accepted worldwide and becoming more popular not only among the childless couples but also among intending single parents in Manipur who have no interest in getting into wedlock in the pursuit of their career advancement.

Significantly, instead of the traditional practice of adopting a child belonging to close family members, relatives or friends through mutual consent, PAPs are heading for the children homes or Shishu Grehas , as they are called, to file application for adoption.

The traditional practice was not free from flaws which may become the root causes of various problems in future.

In such a situation, instead of doing any good to the child or to his/her adopted parents, the adoption become the very cause of worry for everyone involved.

This is where the importance of legal adoption service comes into play in the forefront.

"Every child needs a family and every family longs for a child.

It is this mutual need that is being taken care of through adoption.

However, through legal adoption the emphasis is more on ensuring the rights of the child rather than the need of the childless families," summed up chairperson of Child Welfare Committee Annie Mangsatabam.

At present, there are six Shishu Grehas (children homes) in Manipur where legal adoption services are being rendered.

These children homes, namely Nawa Leikon Sanglen, being run by Association of Professional Social Workers at Kwakeithel Akham Leikai in Imphal West District, Dilip Nawa Sanglen being run by SURE at Khurai Thoidingjam Leikai in Imphal East, Saving Grace being run by Rural Multipurpose Development Society at Phungreitang in Ukhrul district, Leima Children Home being run by Kha-Manipur Yoga and Nature Cure Association at Kakching Paji Leikai in Thoubal district, Grace Shishu Greha run by REACH-M at Nungourok near Pallel in Chandel district and Punya Nawa Yaiphakol of the Integrated Women and Child Development Centre at Thangmeiband Yumnam Leikai in Imphal West district.

All these centres are being funded by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, with Adoption Co-ordinating Agency (ACA) for Promotion of In-country Adoption in Manipur, Moirangkhom Bazar, which is under the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Manipur providing necessary technical expertise and monitoring the functioning of these children homes.

On the procedure of rendering legal service for adoption of a child from any of these children homes, an official of the ACA explained that only relinquished, abandoned, or surrendered children who have been declared legally free for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee are eligible for adoption by the Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) who should fulfil certain criteria like physical and mental fitness, prescribed upper age limit and income, etc.

Proper verification of all these factors are essential for ensuring the future of the adopted child, the official added.

As to the encouragement being given on adoption over the care and protection that such relinquished/abandoned, surrendered children can get in the foster care centres set up for them, official elucidated that along with parental care and affection, which is the due rights of every child, the identity of the adopted child is ensured in adoption.

This is something which is impossible while staying in children home.

According to information received from ACA, till September this year, out of 71 children admitted in Punya Nawa Yaiphakol including 28 male and 43 female, 30 of them (16 male and 14 female) have been adopted with court order while 9 others in the pre-adoption process, at Dilip Nawa Sanglen, all the seven children (five female and 2 male are legally free for adoption, at Leima Children Home, out of the seven children (five female and 2 male) adoption process are on for two children (1 male and one female) at Nawa Leikon Sanglen, there are in all 8 children (3 male and 5 female) waiting for the prospective adoptive parents.

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