Centre Pushes Better Adoption for Special Needs Children
Reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to child rights and family-based rehabilitation, Anil Malik, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, urged states and child protection authorities to upgrade adoption services in line with the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and the Adoption Regulations, 2022. He was speaking at the National Adoption Awareness Conclave 2025 held in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
The event, organised by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh Department of Women Development and Child Welfare, drew more than 400 participants, including policymakers, adoption professionals, agency representatives and adoptive families.
As part of National Adoption Awareness Month, the conclave centred on the theme “Non-Institutionalized Rehabilitation of Children with Special Needs (Divyaang Children).” Speakers stressed the need to secure permanent, family-based care for children with special needs and strengthen support structures across states.
SARA Andhra Pradesh Director M. Venu Gopal Reddy and CARA CEO Bhavna Saxena outlined ongoing efforts to build ethical and inclusive adoption systems. District Collector M. N. Harendhira Prasad, Andhra Pradesh WCD Secretary A. Surya Kumari and Telangana WCD and SC Secretary Anita Ramachandran highlighted state-level progress and called for greater public awareness.
A session featuring adoptive parents of children with special needs offered a candid look at the challenges and emotional rewards of adoption, encouraging more families to consider providing stable homes to children requiring additional care.
Teams from Telangana, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Chandigarh shared effective practices in medical assessments, financial support, early identification and legal facilitation. They emphasised the need for stronger coordination among SARAs, DCPUs, CWCs and related agencies to ensure faster and transparent adoption processes.
A short film titled “Adoption of Children with Special Needs (Divyaang Children)” was also released to dispel myths and improve public understanding.