Special needs children needs special care for adoption

One week old baby boy is brought before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for relinquishment because the child has special needs and the family is not going to be able to care for this child due to financial constraints.  After being offered of all the possible help by the CWC, family still chose to relinquish and now the CWC has to make a decision as to where to send this child to?

CWC has two choices.  One is to send the child to an adoption agency or to a children's home for special needs children that is recognized as a 'Fit Institution'.  Former choice would eventually help the child to have a family (if a willing family can be located) and the latter would lead the child to live a life in children's home.  But, what if the adoption agency refuses to take the child because even they cannot afford to bear the cost of treatment and risk not being able to find a family for the child?    

Here, everyone seems to take care of their own needs (not being able to bear the costs and risking not finding a home for adoption) than to recognize the rights of the child.  There are many conventions (such as UNCRC), laws (JJ Act) and case laws (Union of India vs Shabnam Hashmi)  that India is part of which makes having a family for a child a fundamental right.  Conventions and laws also state that as much as possible, a child must be given in for adoption within his/ her own socioeconomic milliue  

If so, does anyone has the right to deny a child a home without even giving a fair chance to find one?  This is where the innovation and networking becomes paramount.  Here is what I would like to suggest that can be explored.

Under the current adoption guidelines of India, adoption agencies are recognized of two kinds as 'Specialized Adoption Agency' or SAA to promote in-country adoption and 'Recognized Indian Placement Agency' or RIPA to promote inter-country adoption.  I would like to suggest there be a third kind of adoption agency called 'Specialized Adoption Agency for the Needs of the Special needs children (SAANS) and it needs its own set of guidelines.

SAANS could be operated entirely by the Government or under a PPP (Private-Public Partnership) model with a willing NGO (or a non-profit).  

These following features could be incorporated into the operations of the SAANS:

• At least every state should have one functioning SAANS.

• SAANS would have the provision to give children with in the country (in-country adoption) and abroad (inter-country adoption).

• If operated on a PPP model, NGO would be entitled all the funding provisions allowed for SAA/ RIPA under ICPS (Integrated Child Protection Scheme) and state could consider extending additional financial support over and above ICPS assistance.
• SAANS would concentrate on three issues namely medical treatment (before adoption), Costs (during adoption) and Rehabilitation (after adoption).
• For medical treatment, NGO's should explore partnering with hospitals under CSR provisions of the companies act (2014).
• For costs, adoption agencies should consider giving children in adoption without charging any fee to the parents because there could be some obvious costs after adoption that in itself could be burdensome to the adoptive parents and by giving this relief, you extend a special gesture to the families that we appreciate their kindness.
• As part of rehabilitation, Government should extend health insurance policy for the next three years from the date of adoption (on the name of the child) to the family so that the family could be reassured that if there's any unforeseen health issues, it would be taken care by the health insurance.

NGO's should explore partnering with diaper and formula companies and recruiting volunteers to reduce costs apart from raising funds from general public to reduce the financial challenges.  

We have sent this model to our honorable Union Minister of Women & Child Development and we received a reply stating that they'll look into it.

Here is what you can do:  If you feel that this model would address the existing lacunae, would you be kind to send the  link of this blogpost [http://indiahopehouse.blogspot.in/2014/10/special-needs-children-needs-special.html] to the minister (this is her email address: min-wcd@nic.in ) so that she knows that there are lot more people that are supporting it so that they would take it seriously?  Lastly, if you've come to this post from our facebook page, kindly go back to it (facebook.com/indiahopehouse) and share it on your own FB site so that many more people become aware of this model and we may build a stronger support base for it?

Lastly, if you have a thought or two to share to make it into even better model, don't forget to write it in the comments section below or directly to us by email (indiahopehouse@gmail.com) and we'll incorporate.