India Adoptions
Click here for current list of waiting children in
India
Welcome to the India program! We hope the
information on this page will help you in deciding if India is the right
adoption program for you. Please contact
Lisa Goodwin for further information.
General Information
India is located in Southwest Asia. The national
bird is a peacock, and the national flower is a lotus. India's
currency is Rupee, and the country borders Pakistan, China, Nepal, the
Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and the Bay of Bengal.
The following are
facts about the conditions in India:
-
One billion people live in India. India's land mass is
3,287,263 square kilometers.
-
12 million children are currently orphans in India. This is
more than the entire population of the state of Georgia.
-
Over half of the world’s illiterate population lives in India.
-
Some 30 million children are not attending school.
-
Polio cases occurring on average each year is less than 10 in the
US. In India it is estimated that 200,000 cases occur each year.
-
The malnutrition status of the U.S. is less than 7%; in India it is as
high as 69%.
-
There are more than 200 million cases of worm infestation in India
and nearly 50,000 die annually.
-
The world totals 10 million cases of leprosy. More than 3 million of
these are in India.
-
Nearly 1 million children die each year in India from Diarrhea.
-
Infant mortality rate = 79 per 1000 (US = 9 per 1000).
Children In Need Of Families
Most of the children in India placed for adoption have
been orphaned or abandoned. The children are generally healthy and
older with current records available. There are also children with
special needs that range from minor to severe. The ages range from 1
to 12 years, both girls and boys. The children who have been placed have been
between 1 and 11 years. Indian children are beautiful and generally gentle and
intelligent.
HOPE for Children, Inc. is a licensed adoption agency in the
U.S. and also approved in India by the Central Adoption Resource Agency, also
known as C.A.R.A.
One of the largest slums in Asia
Facts about the orphanages HOPE for Children works with and the cities
in which they are located
The children live C.A.R.A. approved orphanages and
foster homes in four (4) different states in India. They are all staffed with loving and
nurturing caregivers.
In Delhi we work with Asharan Orphanage and Welfare
Home for Children. Delhi is the capital of India and is located in the
north. Its population is approximately 13 million in an area of 1,483
square kilometers. The main languages spoken are Hindi, English,
Punjabi, and Urdu. Delhi is the political and business hub of India.
In Mumbai, state of Maharashira, we work with IAPA and
St. Catherine's. Mumbai is the capital of the state and also the home
of Bollywood. It is also the home of Asia's largest slum. 40
square kilometers and has a population of approximately 17 million.
The languages spoken are Marathi, Gujarti, and Hindi. Mumbai is
located on the western coast on the Arabian Sea.
In Bangalore we work with Shishu Mandir.
Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka, and it is known as India's Silicone
Valley. The population is approximately 6 million and the languages
spoken are Kannada, Urdu, and Telugu. Bangalore is located in South
Central India.
In Chennai (Madras) we work with Guild of Service and
Chesire Home. Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu. The main
language is Tamil and it is located on the eastern coast on the Bay of
Bengal. The city covers 174 square miles and is populated with
approximately 7 million people. It attracts seafarers, spice traders,
cloth merchants, and artists.
In Pondicherry, also within the state of Tamil Nadu, we
work with Immaculate Joy Home. Pondicherry is a former French colony
located on the southern coast of the Indian Ocean. The population is
approximately 221,000, and the languages spoken are Tamil and French.
HOPE for Children, Inc., is in the process of pursuing
working relationships with more C.A.R.A approved orphanages in India. This
will enable more children to be placed in families more quickly.
Adoptive Parent Requirements
India requires that married couples need to have been
married at least 5 years, and that each spouse not exceed 55 years in age.
Single women may also adopt, and they need to be between 35 and 55 years old.
Travel Information
The Indian government highly encourages that at least
one of the adoptive parents travel to go get their child. We recommend
that both parents travel together if at all possible. Parents stay in
India for approximately 5-7 days during which time the necessary paperwork
is completed to bring the child back to the United States. A guide
can be arranged for you while you are in India.
Time Frame
Currently it is taking 6 months to 3 years from the time
your dossier arrives in India to the time you travel to adopt your child. This
time frame varies due to the availability of children and their ages. The adoption
sequence for the child can be found on the
C.A.R.A website.
Post Placement Reports
India requires 14 post placement reports to be
submitted over the first 5 years after the child is in the U.S. During the
first 2 years a report is due every 3 months. The following 3 years a
report is due every 6 months. The very first report must be conducted by a
licensed social worker in your state. There may be additional requirements
depending on the state in which you live. The remaining post placement
reports are to be done independently.
To get started in our India program, you will need to send us your
completed Adoption Application. The non-refundable fee for the
application and processing is $275
(Click here to download Application). When we receive your Adoption
Application, we will send you the Dossier Preparation Packet.
|
