Awareness and Capacity Building Program on Child Adoption and Trauma Informed Care Session

Chandigarh, 14th November 2019: The office of State Adoption Resource Agency, Chandigarh in collaboration with Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), New Delhi and Department of Pediatrics, PGIMER, Chandigarh organized an “Awareness and Capacity Building Program on Child Adoption and Trauma Informed Care” at Bhargava and APC Auditorium PGIMER,Chandigarh today. The Chief Guest in the Program was Sh. B.L Sharma, IAS, Secretary Social Welfare, Chandigarh.

The purpose of the program was to generate awareness among stakeholders regarding the importance of Family Care in the life of an Abandoned, Surrendered and Orphan Child. Technical sessions were undertaken by Resource persons from U.K, Japan, USA and other states of India. The theme of the program was 
‘Lets Opt to Adopt” and focussed on role of stakeholders in building a community more receptive to the concept of Adoption.

The program was primarily for Prospective Adoptive Parents, Adoptive Parents, Anganwadi Workers, Teachers/School Counselors, Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU), Lawyers from State Legal Service Authority, Psychologists, Social Workers, Media persons, ANMs, Family Counselors and Child Protection Professionals in order to equip them with adequate knowledge and skills about Pre-Adoptive risk factors, Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences, Helping Children handle stress and anxiety etc. Adoptive Parents (National and International) also came to share their experiences. Around 1100 participants attended the program. Adoptions in India are carried out under The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 and Adoption Regulations 2017. The concept of Adoption has been widened under Adoption Regulations 2017 wherein all adoptions i.e. In-country and Inter-Country, including in-family/relative adoptions and adoption by step-parent are registered with CARA on CARINGS (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System).

To streamline adoptions in Chandigarh, the Department of Social Welfare has set up a State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) under UTCPS in Sector-19, Chandigarh and a registered Specialized Adoption Agency “Aashiana” in Sector 15, where abandoned, surrendered and Orphan children from age group of 0-6 are housed with the orders of Child Welfare Committee for the purpose of adoption.

 It is a matter of pride that State Adoption Resource Authority, Chandigarh has facilitated 52 In-country and Inter-country adoptions.  

Sh. B.L Sharma, IAS, Secretary Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Chandigarh enlightened the audience with the importance of mother in a family and emphasized the need of family in child’s life. He also cited the instance of Lord Krishna who was an adoptive child.

Dr. Bhavneet Bharti, Prof. Division of Social Pediatrics, APC, PGIMER gave an informative presentation on “The World may not change if you adopt a child but for that child the World will change” and shared videos of children who were given for adoption and leading a good life with their families.

Thereafter, Adoptive Parents also shared their beautiful experiences after adopting a child. Prof. Sue Jenning, Neuro Dramatic Play Therapist from U.K and Prof. Chika Matsudaira from Japan spoke on Community Building and emphasized on the fact that “It takes a village to raise a child”, followed by dance performances by children of Aashiana, State Adoption Agency, and Snehalaya for girls, Sector-15 Chandigarh.

Technical sessions were carried out at Advanced Pediatrics Centre (APC), PGIMER Chandigarh. Dr. Bhavneet Bharti, Prof. Division of Social Pediatrics, APC, PGIMER spoke on ‘Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences: Creating Trauma sensitive Child Care Institutions and The Child’s Right to Identity’ followed by a session by Dr. Prahbhjot Malhi, Prof. Dept. of Pediatrics, PGI, Chandigarh who spoke on ‘Children in Child Care institutes: turning problems into opportunities’. Thereafter Prof. Sue Jennings shared her experiences of Romania Orphanage.

Dr. Gita Harappanahally (Neurologist and Expert in Pediatrics) from Rhode Island, USA spoke on ‘Learning from the experience of Foster Care in US Child Protection System’. Ms. Chika Matsudaira, Prof. Social Welfare, University of Shizuoka, Japan spoke on ‘Helping Children Handle stress and Anxiety’.

Ms. Radha Nagesh, renowned Adoption Counselor from Bangalore spoke on ‘Root Search for the missing Puzzle (Manufactured orphans Videos). Dr. Sahul Bharti spoke on ‘DNA Testing for Adoptees: Searching for Biological Roots.

In the end, Ms. Bisman Ahuja, Program Manager, UT Child Protection Society gave vote of thanks to all the participants. The resource persons and guest of honor were felicitated by Sh. B.L Sharma, IAS, Secretary Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Chandigarh, Mrs. Navjot Kaur, PCS, Member Secretary UTCPS and Smt. Harjinder Kaur, Chairperson, Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

The State Adoption resource Agency, Chandigarh will organize a Creative Play for Children at risk in the context of children in the Child Care Institutions by Dr. Sue Jennings, Neuro Dramatic Play Therapist from U.K on 15-11-2019.

The program was attended by Mrs. Navjot Kaur, PCS, Member Secretary, UTCPS, Smt. Harjinder Kaur, Chairperson, Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Mrs. Nazuk Kumar, IAS, Co-Chairperson, DCPU; Shri. Mahavir Singh, Member Secretary, SLSA; Child Welfare Committee; Members Juvenile Justice Board, etc.