The new rules for adoption under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, came into effect from Monday. The new regulations allow for adoption of children of relatives and a partner from an earlier marriage through the Central Adoption Resource Authority.
This is a departure from the earlier regulations when only an orphan or a child abandoned by the biological parents could be adopted.
In the new regulations, there are legal provisions that specify adoption fees and decrees that each District Child Protection Unit must have a panel of qualified social workers. In the new rule, there’s no age bar for the adoptive parents.
If a stepchild is being legally adopted, the couple (including one of the biological parents) will have to register with the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System.To adopt a child of a relative, the couple will need to get permission from the biological parents if they are alive or approach the Child Welfare Committee.
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