Considering Adopting the Newest Member of Your Family?

WHAT IS ADOPTION

The Children’s Authority of T&T describes adoption as “the legal transfer of all parental rights and responsibilities for a child from that child’s legal parents (birth parents or adoptive parents) to another person or persons referred to as the adopter or adopters”.

Adoption is permanent. In T&T, the process of adoption is governed by two pieces of legislation, namely, the Adoption of Children Act Chapter 46:03 and the Children’s Authority Act Chapter 46:10.

TYPES OF ADOPTION

There are two main types of adoption, namely, Open Adoption and Closed Adoption.

Open Adoption: With Open Adoption, the biological parent(s) and the adoptive parent(s) know each other and have a relationship. For example, grandmother, aunt, uncle or a friend is adopting the child.

The child may maintain contact with his/her biological parents in such cases.

The time frame for an Open Adoption varies, as each case is different.

Closed Adoption: In this instance, the biological parent(s) and the adoptive parent(s) do not share a relationship. The identities of the parties are kept confidential and as such, neither party can contact the other. The child is unable to maintain contact with his/her biological parents. This type of adoption is arranged based on the requested profile of the child.

The time frame for a Closed Adoption depends on the availability of a child who satisfies the requested child profile.

WHO CAN APPLY

• Anyone who is capable of providing a stable and safe home environment for a child.
• Persons who are interested in providing a family for a child or children.
• Such persons are referred to as Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs).
• A prospective adoptive parent can be a resident of another country or non-national of T&T
• They can also be a relative or a stranger to the child who they plan to adopt.

WHERE TO APPLY FOR ADOPTION: The Children’s Authority of T&T Adoption Unit is at the Children’s Authority Chaguanas Regional Assessment Centre, LP 89, Chaguanas Main Road. The Children’s Authority is at present the sole entity in our jurisdiction with the power to make arrangements for the adoption of a child. It replaced the Adoption Board of T&T in this respect.

The Adoption of Children Act, Section 9 (1) provides: “No person other than the Authority shall make arrangements for the adoption of a child.”

The Children’s Authority Act, Section 5 (1) (b) states: “The Authority may have and exercise such powers and functions as are conferred on it by this Act and in particular may investigate and make recommendations with respect to the adoption of children in accordance with the Adoption of Children Act.”

HOW TO APPLY

• You can call the Adoption Unit at 627-0748 ext. 40021 through 40027 or email ([email protected]) and you will receive information on the application process.
• Submit a completed application form to the Children’s Authority of T&T. (Application forms for married or single persons are available on the Children’s Authority Website, https://ttchildren.org/services/adoption/ )
• Once an approval letter is issued to you by the Children’s Authority, an application must be made to the Family Court for an Adoption Order.

ADOPTION PROCESS

• Submission of application form to the Children’s Authority.
• A psychosocial assessment and background check.
• (Suitability Assessment) is done on the applicant(s).
• Approved applicant(s) is placed on the Prospective Adoptive Parents List maintained by the Children’s Authority. You will receive written notice of this.
• Applicant(s) is matched with a child/children.
• There is a “briefing session” to select an adoptee (a child).
• There is also an “interaction session” with the adoptee and Prospective Adoptive Parents.

Probationary Period—The adoptee will spend time with the Prospective Adoptive Parents. This period may last six (6) months and is monitored by the Children’s Authority.

The Adoption Committee will make a recommendation to the board of management of the Children’s Authority as to whether the adoptee should be adopted by the Prospective Adoptive Parent(s). The board would then make its decision.

The applicant(s) will receive correspondence from the Children’s Authority either confirming adoption or informing the applicant(s) of his/her unsuccessful application.

Thereafter, the successful applicant(s) must retain a lawyer to prepare and file an application for an Adoption Order at the Family Court. (If you desire to change the child’s last name to yours, you must request the name change in your application). The applicant must also provide a Job letter and the approval letter from the Children’s Authority to his/her lawyer to attach to the documents in support of the said application.

Once the Adoption Order has been granted by the Family High Court, and the Registrar General has been notified of same, an Adoption Certificate will be issued by the Registrar General. The adoption will be finalised. The former birth certificate will be sealed and a new one issued. The new birth certificate looks like the standard birth certificate and has no indication of the adoption on it. You will now be recognised as the legal parent(s) of the adoptee.