People choose to adopt for a variety of reasons. While most people arrive at adoption when the biological route does not work, for others, it stems from the desire to have a mixed or a blended family option. Today, we see a trend towards adoption as a first choice to start a family, which is heart-warming. It is becoming a common alternative to starting a family and is no longer a closeted word or a subject of contention.
By opting for adoption we can provide a stable and a nurturing environment, which ultimately leads to immense gratification and fulfilment for both the parent and the child.
The joy is limitless, and the journey is indescribable. There is a sense of awe and euphoria as one begins the journey of parenting with adoption. As we traverse this path, unravelling the unknown we realize that nurturing a child is the core or focal point of any parenting journey, regardless of the route one has chosen.
Where is adoption today?
Current adoption statistics do not reflect an encouraging trend. In India, the adoption rates in 2015-2016, hit the lowest with only 3677 adoptions in the country. In-country adoptions are down by 47% in 6 years. https://factly.in/number-children-available-adoption-less-14th-demand-despite-simplification-adoption-process/ And more recently an article was published, http://theladiesfinger.com/new-adoption-rules/ ,that there are around 15,000 prospective parents in India and only 1,800-2,000 children up for adoption. CARA’s latest statistics on the number of adoptions taken place in 2016 – 2017, is 3210 in-country adoptions and 578 inter country adoptions. http://cara.nic.in/resource/adoption_Stattistics.html
Some of the reasons and compelling factors for this are:
Process-related concerns
- Parallel /illegal adoptions are taking place alongside the legal route.
- The adoption process has undergone a sea change. CARA has taken the digital route, which has its pros and cons. As with any change, it takes a while for all those working within and outside the system to gain a comprehensive understanding of the process.
- The policy makers initiatives towards educating stakeholders about the new process have not been adequate, especially with reference to those who are outside the digital net.
Societal implications
- Inability to have biological children is often viewed by the individual and society as an inadequacy or failure, and there is a sense of shame and reluctance to accept this fact. Though the trend in acceptance of infertility is changing, the impact depends on the social-economic strata to which one belongs.
- Concerns such as developmental milestones or behavioural issues arising out of adoption are sometimes portrayed in a negative light.
- Reluctance to bring a child who does not share genealogy
- Prevalence of myths and misinformation regarding adoption
- Newer, acceptable trends for having a baby (like surrogacy and embryo adoption)
- A difficult road for children perceived as “non-adoptable” due to social stigma
- The policy maker’s role in mitigating the social conditioning has been relatively low key while addressing concerns arising out of adoption. Most communication has been generic in nature, with a complete lack of social messages. They need to highlight inclusiveness in their messages pertaining to non-adoptable children.