Ghanaians urged to follow processes of adopting children

The Central Adoption Authority (CAA) has urged persons interested in adopting children to follow due processes to enable them enjoy the children at the end.

Mrs Emily Akotia, the Acting Executive Secretary of CAA, who said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said adoption required going through right processes and therefore going contrary was an offense punishable by law.

She said there was no shortcut to adoption and people must adhere to the necessary requirements as it was of great concern to the authority.

She said the law made it clear that no one could receive and hold onto a child without informing the CAA as they would allow adopters to perpetuate evil against such children.

Mrs Akotia said the illegitimate adoption was making proper record keeping a huge challenge and asked people to report such cases. “A person who wishes to adopt a child must first of all express their intention at the Regional office of Department of Social Welfare.

“This will enable the person to obtain information about the eligibility and suitability of the applicant for adoption and process; he/she must complete the application form with a police criminal clearance, and a medical screening report.

“This has to be submitted for home study which, would lead to the preparation of a report on the background and circumstances of the applicant as well as undergo a 30-hour training in adoption related topics.”

She said it would be approved by the CAA and the suitable matches would be made to know if the child was eligible for adoption, this is followed by an issuance of placement proposal and authorisation and pre-adoption placement which allowed the child and applicant to bond for a period of three months.

Mrs Akotia noted that after engaging in this effectively, an adoption order from a court in which the child resided would be issued and a copy submitted to the CAA to allow for birth certificate and post adoption monitoring.

She said with the introduction of laws such as the Children's Act 1998, the Children's amendment act 2016, the Hague Convention on inter-country and in-country adoption among others had made adoption easy so there was no need to engage in illegalities.

"Even before the process starts, the applicant must be a resident, should be from the ages of 25-55 years, couples, health, criminal clearance, employed, subscribe to child's right, moral character and temperament," she stated.

She said the processes applied to both in country and inter-country adoptions, adding that, the Hague Convention had made inter-country adoption even easier. She said Ghanaians were gradually showing interest and at least two people walked into the office of the CAA on daily basis to start adoption process.

Mrs Akotia said it was a positive sign and encouraged more persons to come as the shortcut led to problems. "Walk into our offices and adopt to enable such children grow up in a family and feel loved", she said.

She said the CAA would soon introduce a fee schedule to enable them charge a token from applicants for documentations among others and urged them to comply when it was out.