KENYAN SIMPLE ROUTE TO CHILD ADOPTION

Feb 21, 2014 William Adoyo National 0

The Adoption in Kenya is still hidden to many people in Kenya and when they come to think about it, what lingers into their minds is selling of the children to the needy mothers and parents.

Conversing into the greater Kenya adoption is still characterized by many myths that still give a bad impression towards the adoption of a child.

Today, many people do not know this because adoption is not a popular topic in this country and it needs vigorous civic education to create more awareness among the people on the Kenyan Children Act 2001. Many misconceptions exist about the process especially about the people who choose to adopt and the adopted children themselves.

As we know today, there are children homes registered in the country to help the needy child and also provide an alternative to the families that are not able to have their own or those who desired to provide a home to the needy child.

Despite the numerous challenges, today adoption is going up in the country as the adoption act 2001 now makes process easier for the desired parents to adopt. On the same note, one needs to express his or her desire to have a child of their own or give a child a home,

For the first move, prospective parents makes an appointment with the Social worker regarding the adoption on which they will help you to go through the adoption process without an itch. During the initial interview, the prospective parent is required by the law (Children Act 2001) to be told the pre-requisites for adoption and the procedures so as to make a good decision towards adoption.

For the whole processes the adoptive parents are required by the law to comply by placing an application which then if you meet the requirements given by the law, e.g. age limit, you will be issued with the application forms. Your application is only considered formal when you hand in your duly completed application forms.

The following should be attached: full sized recent photos of the applicant ,Copy of ID (Kenyan citizens, copy of passport and when married they have to bring with them a Marriage certificate to show that they are legally married and Proof of financial status-Pay slip and Bank Statement are required which most people find very difficult to provide.

Ms. Caroline Okuta Program Officer Little Angles Network Kisumu office says.

Ms. Okuta added that after the presentation of these documents and home visit of the adoptive parent’s upon return of the dully filled application forms, an appointment date is fixed for the home visit. This is done to know the applicants physical location, where the child will be living and to assess the suitability of the applicant to adopt a child.

Visiting the adoptive families home helps the social worker to give a detailed report of the place the child will be staying with the parents capability to adopt.

After the report is done, the case committee sitting in Nairobi constituted by the Little Angles Network (LANs) then go through the application and social worker’s report, then the committee will either; approve, defer or reject an application and In the event that applicant application is deferred or rejected reasons for the same are always given in writing.

I pose a question to her, why do you send the prospective adoptive parents for Counseling

Ms. Okuta who seems to have all the information of adoption on her finger tips say sarcastically while smiling, we normally take them to counseling to prepare through the adoption process before they receive the child to be adopted.

This process is not immediate and other parents would want to have a child in a day. LANS adoption agency discourages quoting the Children’s Act 2001 that must be duly followed.

Mrs. Okuta added that, after all these we take the parent to identify a desired child from the children home identification and subsequent placement.

When you are placed, the adoption agency dealing with your process must give a referral letter which is obtained from the society to simplify identification process at the home, and this according to her gives the preference of a child in terms of age and sex.

The agency says they don’t just release the children like that but they follow-up assessments during the three months foster period, the social worker will conduct follow-ups to assess the progress of the child in the new family. Final follow-up:- three months after discharge, with the finale one conducted at the applicant’s home to observe the adjustment of the child in the home environment after which the report is compiled of the same.

And finally the legal part where a lawyer presents the adoptive parents interests in the High Court. This is quite challenging because many parents fear the process. The society is trying to know the reasons so that they can be help to finish up the process.

“They should do the last process so as to allow them have necessary papers for the child and even allow them to travel even outside country if they wish so”. Added Okuta.

It is there for very important as part of the process for the adoptive parents to finalize the process to the legal level as required by law after three months of taking the child home to finalize the process.