Major Policy Change: Single People Can Now Foster and Adopt in India

Q: What are the new changes in the foster care guidelines?

A: The Women and Child Development Ministry has updated the guidelines to allow single individuals—whether unmarried, widowed, divorced, or legally separated—to foster and adopt children. Previously, only married couples were permitted to foster.

Q: What are the age requirements for single individuals to foster?

A: Single individuals must be between 35 and 60 years old to foster a child. For children aged 6 to 12 years, the minimum age is 35, while for children aged 12 to 18 years, the maximum age is 60.

Q: How long must a child be in foster care before a single individual can adopt?

A: A child must be in the foster care of a single individual for at least two years before adoption, reduced from the previous requirement of five years.

Q: Can single men and women foster and adopt any child?

A: Single women can foster and adopt children of any gender. Single men can only foster male children.

Q: What are the new requirements for married couples wanting to foster?

A: Married couples must have been in a stable marital relationship for at least two years before a child can be placed in their care.

Q: How can prospective foster parents apply under the new guidelines?

A: Prospective foster parents can now register online through the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS), which was previously used for adoptions.

Q: Why were these changes made?

A: The changes address inconsistencies in the previous guidelines and align with recent amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act, making the process more inclusive and streamlined.

Q: How many children are currently in foster care in India?

A: As of March 2024, there are 1,653 children in foster care across various states and Union Territories, excluding Goa, Haryana, and Lakshadweep.

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10 Landmark Judgments That Have Shaped the POCSO Act

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) is an Indian legislation that defines and penalizes sexual offenses against children. It also provides for the establishment of special courts and child-friendly procedures for the trial of such cases. The POCSO Act was enacted in response to the growing number of cases of child sexual abuse in India and is considered to be a landmark piece of legislation in the fight against child sexual abuse. Here are some of the top 10 landmark judgments in POCSO Act with citation: 1. Jarnail Singh v. State of Haryana (2013) - The Supreme Court held that the POCSO Act is a special law and takes precedence over the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in cases of sexual offences against children. [Citation: Jarnail Singh v. State of Haryana, (2013) 10 SCC 419] 2. State of Karnataka v. Shivanna (2014) - The Supreme Court held that the POCSO Act does not require recording every statement made under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Proced...

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Adv. Chinmay Jawale

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