Rajagiri College of Social Sciences

ADOPTION CO-ORDINATING AGENCY-KERALA (ACA-Kerala)

Adoption–a Bond by Love

Adoption, the best possible option available for rehabilitating an orphan or destitute child, is a process by which the child is brought up by a couple as their own son or daughter. Unlike the case of biological children where umbilical cord establishes the bond between parents and children, the love for children determines the bond in adoption.

About ACA-Kerala

ACA is an organization constituted by Rajagiri College of Social Sciences in 1990 for promoting in-country adoption in the state of Kerala as per Supreme Court Judgment and Government of India Guidelines on Adoption.
ACA is Recognized by Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), Delhi and sponsored by Ministry of Women and Child Development.
ACA is registered under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act of 1955 with the head office at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery and chapter offices in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

Objective - Promotion of Indian Adoption

To make efforts to ensure that every child gets the opportunity to find an Indian Home with the co-operation of Licensed Adoption Placement Agencies, Central and State Governments, Courts & Scrutiny Body.
To co-ordinate the work of Indian Adoption being done by various Adoption Placement Agencies in the state of Kerala

INAUGURATION OF PROSPECTIVE ADOPTIVE PARENTS’ GET TOGETHER

One day Consultation Meeting on Adoption for Lawyers’

Adoption Co-ordinating Agency and District Social Welfare office, Ernakulam jointly organized ‘One day Consultation Meeting on Adoption for Lawyers’ on 14^th July 2007 at Alex Hall, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences.

The objective of the meeting was to bring all the legal practitioners who are working in the field of Adoption on a common platform and thus to establish a standardized norm for legal adoption procedures.

His Lordship Justice R. Basant, Judge, High Court of Kerala, inaugurated the meeting. In his lecture on JJAct and laws related to adoption, he said that a secular and value based law has to be enacted for protecting the rights of the abandoned/orphan/destitute children.

Dr. Joseph I.Injodey, Principal, Rajagiri College and Chairman, ACA presided over the meeting.

Justice R. Basant, Judge, High Court of Kerala, inaugurating the meeting

PROFILE OF ADOPTION CO-ORDINATING AGENCY -KERALA

Head Office
Rajagiri College of Social Sciences
Rajagiri P.O, Kalamassery - 683 104
Cochin, Kerala. Ph – 0484 – 2540727
Email : vca-kerala@eth.net

Three Social Workers & One Clerk cum Typist mainly concentrating six districts (Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad) and also coordinating all adoption programmes in the entire state of Kerala with the support of two chapter offices.

ACA Chapter Offices………

Loyola College of Social Sciences
Sreekariyam P.O.
Thiruvananthapuram-695 017 Ph-0471-2595097

One Social Worker - Mainly concentrating three districts programmes (Thiruvanthapuram, Pathanamthitta & Kollam)
Sevasadan Building
Amalapuri
IVth Gate P.O.
Kozhikode-673 001 Ph-0495-2767904

One Social Worker - Mainly concentrating five districts programmes (Kozhikode, Malappuram Wayanad, Kannur & Kasargode)

Thrust area

Preparing the central list of children who are free for adoption in the State.
Maintaining the list of prospective adoptive parents in the state.
Organizing quarterly meetings of all the placement agencies to discuss about matters related to adoption
Issuing clearance certificate for inter-country adoption for children whose in-country adoption was not materialized
Organizing regular monthly meeting of ACA staff (including chapter office)
Organizing Seminars, Workshops and media campaigns on adoption.
Conducting training programmes for Caretakers, Probation officers & superintendent of Govt.Children's homes, Social Workers and Lawyers.
Awareness classes on adoption for various groups like Doctors, Nurses, paramedical staff, NSS Programmes Officers, Police officials, Medical students, counselors in Family Counseling Centers, Social work students etc.
Publishing newsletters, leaflets, booklets and other materials for generating awareness on Indian Adoption.
Awareness building programme through mass media.
Conducting the Home study of prospective adoptive parents.
Counseling services to adopted children, pre and post-adoptive parents.
Organizing District Level & neighbourhood level adoptive family meets.
Observation of Adoption Awareness Week in all districts.
To strengthen Kerala Adoptive Families Organization’s activities in the state.
Reach out visits to different child welfare agencies that help to extend adoption services to more children who are eligible/free for adoption.
Collaboration with Schools of Social Work in Kerala.
Organising Adoptive Mothers meeting of Adolescent adoptee.
ACA provide free consultancy for all agencies those who are interested in adoption
Social work students from different schools of social work are placed in ACA for their fieldwork.

Adoption Awareness Class for Nursing Staff Adoptive Mothers' Meet

Collaborating Agencies

Ministry of Women And Child Development, Government of India
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), Delhi
State Social Welfare Department
All Recognized / Licensed Adoption Placement Agencies in Kerala
Honorable courts, JJ Boards, Child Welfare Committees
Kerala Adoptive Families Organisation (KAFO)
Schools of Social Work

Funding

Grant-in-Aid from Ministry of women And Child Development, Government of India

Major Achievements

ACA-Kerala is successful in placing 2096 children with suitable Indian parents particularly in Kerala and we could place more female children.
More child welfare agencies came forward to collaborate with ACA in Adoption Activities.
Increase in the number of Indian adoption.
Greater awareness on Legal Adoption among Public through Mass media coverage.
Streamlined the adoptive families organisation with better structure, system and procedures.
ACA published a souvenir in connection with the 10th Anniversary Celebrations.
Better Inter Agency Coordination.
ACA Kerala got a chance to document the ‘Adoption Process in Kerala as a Good Practice’ in a National Consultation Meet on Adoption at Bangalore.
Providing consultation to Government Authorities, Child Welfare Agencies, Adoptive Families etc.

Adoption Awareness Class for Doctors

STATISTICS OF CHILDREN GIVEN IN ADOPTION THROUGH ACA KERALA

LINKAGES OF ACA-KERALA WITH RAJAGIRI COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

ACA is one of the live labs of Rajagiri College
Dr. Joseph I Injody, Principal, Rajagiri College is the Chairperson of ACA.
Rajagiri College provides all the physical Infrastructure facilities for the functioning of ACA.
Director, Principal and all faculties of Rajagiri College give us Guidance and support in our activities.
ACA social workers give awareness classes on Adoption to the students of Rajagiri College.
Social work students are placed in ACA for their Field work experience.
Social work students from Rajagiri College participate in our Adoption Awareness Building Programme.
ACA is regularly submitting bimonthly report of the Activities to the College in the Department Heads Meeting.

Future Plans

Reaching out to more children those who are in need of care and protection.
Identifying suitable families those who are wish to adopt a child.
Identifying unrecognised agencies those who are keeping children.
Creating Awareness programmes to various groups to curb illegal transaction of Babies.
Conducting Research studies on Adoption.
Organizing Training programmes to ACA and Placement agency’s Social Workers for acquiring counseling skills and updating their knowledge on latest guidelines on adoption.
Post Adoption counseling to adolescent adoptee and parents

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