Resources

Research

In this section, we feature research articles relating to adoption, parenting and allied topics.

There is a real dearth of relevant data in India's adoption ecosystem. Proper governance of data and statistics — used intelligently — is essential to arrive at better policies and frameworks. Too often, law and policy makers operate at an immeasurable distance from the ground reality of the children waiting for families, and the parents waiting for their chance to expand their family through adoption.

Bringing together all stakeholders involved in adoption can help sensitise policy makers to the needs of both parents and children, so that truly child- and parent-centred policies and programs can be formulated.

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Sahana Mitra

Sahana Mitra is a Developmental Psychologist by education, with several years of graduate and post-graduate teaching experience across Indian colleges. Her areas of interest include child and family psychology, particularly adoptive families — the subject of her doctoral dissertation — as well as research into self-awareness. She is currently working on comparative, cross-cultural research on the India–Ireland adoption system with Prof. Valerie O'Brien of UCD, Ireland.

• Information about the Researcher
• 2009 — The Child-Rearing Attitude of Foster and Biological Mothers
• 2015 — Search 'n' Reunion
• 2015 — Adoptive Family: A Puzzle and a Masterpiece
• 2016 — Talking about Adoption
• 2018 — Perception of Time across Indian and Irish Adoptive Parents
• 2018 — Non-Family Domestic Adoptions in India
• 2018 — Infertility, Loss & Adoption: An Indian Experience

Government Updates

A running record of policy changes, court rulings and official statistics that shape the adoption landscape in India — curated to help you stay current on the rules that affect your journey.

• Record 4,515 Child Adoptions in FY 2024-25, Highest in 12 Years
• Average Adoption Waiting Period Climbs to 3.5 Years
• Draft Amendments to Juvenile Justice Model Rules Published
• DMs to Issue Adoption Orders, Monitor Child Homes: Bill in Lok Sabha
• Karnataka: Mothers Who Adopt Newborns Under One Get 180 Days of Maternity Leave
• Adoption Policy Favouring 40+ Single Women Likely to Be Rolled Back
• Amid Pandemic, CARA Eases Norms for Those Seeking to Adopt

• Delhi High Court Seeks Centre Response on OCI Couple's Adoption Plea
• Kerala Newborn Case: Court Stays Adoption, Orders DNA Test
• Bombay High Court: No Adoption Without Permission
• Supreme Court: NOC Mandatory for Adoption by Foreigners
• Couples in Live-In Relationships Cannot Adopt, Says CARA

• Make Older Children in Care Homes Free for Adoption: Smriti Irani
• Union WCD Minister Inaugurates Regional Symposium on Child Protection, Safety and Welfare
• Shelter Home Kids Not Visited by Kin to Be Added to the Adoption Pool
• Most Child Care Homes Don't Have a Child Protection Policy, Shows Study
• Draft amendments to juvenile justice model rules published

• The Rights Being Sought to Marry, Have Children & Inherit: LGBTQIA+ Cry from the Heart to SC
• 60% of Kids Adopted in Last 6 Years Were Girls, Maharashtra Tops List
• Meet Looks at Ways to Boost Chances of Over 1,400 Children with Special Needs Waiting to Be Adopted
• Siblings Can Be Separated During Adoption: Maneka Gandhi

This is a curated selection from an ongoing archive of government and policy updates related to adoption in India.

General Articles

News, opinion and analysis from across Indian media on the state of adoption today — process reforms, court rulings, social trends, and the stories that shape public understanding.

• Apex Federal Body for Adoption Tells States to Boost Counselling at All Stages of Process
• Digital Copies of Adoption Orders Valid Under New Rules: CARA
• Over 2,000 Children Awaiting Adoption, Highest in West Bengal: Govt
• Over 18,000 Adoptions Since 2019; Only 1,404 Children with Special Needs Find Homes
• 28,663 Indians Waiting to Adopt a Child, Trend Not Declining: Govt

• Can an Adopted Child Be 'Returned'? Here's What the Rules Say
• Bombay High Court Annuls Adoption as Parents Unable to Handle 4-Year-Old
• Karnataka HC Directs CARA to Consider Granting NOC for Child Adopted from Non-Hague Country
• Court Upholds Mother's Right as Natural Guardian for Child Adoption
• SC Upholds HC Ruling, OKs 'Miracle Baby' Adoption by Malta-Based Couple

• Number of Girls Adopted in India Outstrips Boys
• Wise Choice: Editorial on Adoption of Female Children Outstripping Male Adoptions
• Indians Remain Averse to Accepting Children with Special Needs
• Dark Side of the Gender Bias: More Female Children Up for Adoption

• Ahmedabad Sees First Single Father Adoption as Boy, 3, Gets Family in Mumbai Man
• Bal Asha Trust Honoured with Bal Snehi Award 2024 for Outstanding Work in Child Welfare
• Kerala Child Welfare Board Sets Record with 100 Adoptions in 18 Months
• Abandoned at Birth in Jalpaiguri, Baby Girl Adopted by Spanish Woman

This is a curated selection from a continuously updated archive of adoption-related news and commentary.

Padme in the Press

Coverage of Padme's work, and the wider conversation on adoption in India, from national and regional media.

Blog

Personal reflections, expert perspectives and practical guidance from our community — written for parents at every stage of the adoption journey.