Source: DH
Context: The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has directed State Adoption Resource Agencies to strengthen structured counselling across pre-, during, and post-adoption stages, ensuring emotional well-being of all stakeholders.
About Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA):
- What it is?
- Statutory body under the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
- Established in: 1990 and became statutory under the Juvenile Justice Act 2015.
- Headquarters: New Delhi.
- Mandate: Regulates, monitors, and facilitates in-country and inter-country adoption of Indian children.
- International Role: Central Authority for inter-country adoption under Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption (1993), ratified by India in 2003.
- Objectives of CARA:
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- Ensure ethical, transparent, and timely adoption processes.
- Protect the rights of orphaned, abandoned, and surrendered children.
- Facilitate psychosocial support during all phases of adoption.
- Key Functions of CARA:
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- Regulation & Accreditation: Monitors registered adoption agencies nationwide.
- Digital Oversight: Manages the CARINGS portal for adoption transparency.
- Policy Implementation: Issues binding directions under JJ Act and Adoption Regulations.
- Capacity Building: Trains adoption professionals and empanels qualified counsellors.
- Support Framework: Ensures counselling services for biological parents, adoptive parents, and adopted children.
