Child Adoption Process in Nigeria
Child Adoption Process in Niger
Child Adoption Process in Nigeria
There is no reason why you should be without your own child even when you seem to have been called barren or when you can’t afford an IVF. Childbearing might seem though an impossible task to achieve, several things has gone into time over the years, thus making life easy for everyone that cares to know more about it.
Child adoption should be your next option if you seem to be experiencing a delay in childbirth. The beautiful thing about this process is that immediately you sign up for any child adoption process, you are already on your way to becoming a parent, not just a parent but a rightful parent of a child backed up by some legal processes. For you to be able to adopt anywhere in the world, an act of love for a child is first been examined by the orphanage or by any organization attending to your request for adopting a child. It actually takes some patience to achieve this, and often it can be a bit tough. But here are what it takes to adopt a child in Nigeria.
Your first place to visit in the process of adopting a child in Nigeria or (narrowing it down) in Lagos is the Adoption section of the Ministry of Youth Sports and Social development. There, you will be interviewed and they will also investigate you likewise and once they are clear with your request, then a letter of authorization to adopt will be given to you. This is your key to joy and a proof that you can go ahead to adopt anywhere in Lagos. You can also visit their website at mysd.lg.gov.ng where you get to register and be cleared to proceed to your preferred orphanage where you can adopt.
For an adoption to take place, the court has to grant an adoption order depending on the type of adoption taking place.
The court also has the right to cancel an adoption process if it thinks or get reports that the adoptive parents applied undue pressure, favour or money to influence the adoption process.
Section 2(2) of Nigeria constitution states that ” an adoption order maybe made upon the application of two spouses authorizing them jointly to adopt a juvenile, but in no other case shall an adoption authorize more than one person to adopt a juvenile.”
This clearly does not support single parent adoption especially that of opposite sex because of cases of sexual abuses except in rare circumstances where issues of blood ties can be firmly established in such case, the court may justify making such order.
The role of the Adoption Authority:
The social welfare office of the state where the child is located is considered the adoption authority. The application for adoption originates from the social welfare office of the state where the child is located. The Government office responsible for adoptions in Nigeria is the magistrate court of the state where the child is located.
In most Nigerian states, the adoption process begins when an application for an adoption order is made in accordance with local requirements and submitted to the registrar of the competent court. The court then assigns a guardian ad litem for the child to represent him/her in the adoption proceedings. The guardian ad litem is the social welfare officer in charge of the area where the juvenile resides, or a probation officer or some other person suitably qualified in the opinion of the court of assignment.
Guidelines For Adoption And Fostering
· Submission of Application Letters.
· Interview with Director Social Welfare/Representative on appointed date (from the state the child is resident)
· Payment of prescribed fees.
· Complete appropriate forms and obtain list of requirements
· Administrative Processing/Screening Session
· Mandatory Pre-Counseling Session on appointed date
· Panel Session
· Post-Counseling (Proper Parenting) on appointed date
· Result
· Collection of a child from Registered Orphanages.
· Legalization at the Family Court after 3 months.
Joint Credit: Ojochide Atojoko-Omovbude Blog.
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