COVID-19 ALERT! ADOPTING a child who has lost both parents due to COVID-19 - check full guidelines issued by government

COVID-19 News: The COVID-19 pandemic has in some way or the other affected the lives of every individual. One of the major adverse impacts of this pandemic is that it has orphaned several children. Amidst this situation, several messages are being circulated on social media appealing for adoption for the children who have lost their parents in this COVID-19 pandemic. However, the government has issued guidelines for the rehabilitation of children who lost their parents due to COVID-19. The interested people can also take a look at the public relating to this matter by logging in to the official website of Women and Child Development Ministry at wcd.nic.in.

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The government has also asked the general public to refrain from such actions which may invite legal consequences. This entire procedure of adoption of orphaned children comes under the Women and Child Development Ministry (WCD). The WCD Ministry has issued the guidelines adhered by law for the adoption of children orphaned by the death of both of their parents. 

In the notice issued, the ministry has stated that if any child is found to have lost parents to COVID, with no one to look after them, the child ought to be produced before the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) within 24 hours, excluding the journey time. The notice further reads, "The CWC shall ascertain the immediate need of the child and pass appropriate orders for rehabilitation of the child, either to restore the child to caregivers or place her/him in institutional or non-institutional care, on case to case basis." The ministry said that as far as possible, efforts will be made to sustain the children in their family and community environment. Their safety in their surroundings will be ensured and their interests will be protected as stated in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The notice issued by the WCD Ministry also reads, "If the child is restored to any kind of kinship care, the CWC will continue to check the well-being of the child on regular basis. Care must be taken to protect the identity of the child avoid undue distress as provisioned under Section 74 of the Act." 

The state governments have also been instructed to use digital platform for interaction in exceptional cases where physical interaction is not possible due to the current COVID-19 condition. 

In related news, recently Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a statement said that the children who have lost both their parents either because of COVID-19 or in case one of the parents were dead and the other succumbed to COVID-19, will be given a monthly pension of Rs 2500 till they attain 25 years of age. The Delhi Chief Minister also added that these children will be provided education free of cost.