Cracking Down on Illegal Adoptions: Andhra Pradesh Emphasizes Legality

Visakhapatnam: In a state-level meeting convened by the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA), the Andhra Pradesh government reiterated its commitment to upholding the legitimacy of adoptions. Officials from the State Child Adoption Resource Organisation (SARA) and the Department of Women and Child Welfare, alongside district officers, gathered to address the issue of illegal adoptions.

Jagannatha Pathi, CARA's programme director, emphasised the importance of following legal procedures during adoption. He stressed that only adoptions conducted under established guidelines offer the best outcomes for children.

Highlighting the two-year mandatory period for prospective adoptive parents to maintain a stable relationship, Pathi urged district child welfare departments to ramp up public awareness campaigns and streamline adoption processes.

Kesali Apparao, chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), collaborated with member Gondu Sitaram to call for active information dissemination on legal adoptions. They emphasised the need for coordinated efforts between district collectors, police officials, and the public to combat illegal adoption practices.