The Fijian Government has tightened and streamlined rules and regulations for adoption of infants, Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Josefa Koroivueta has said.
According to him, Section 40 of the Juveniles Act provided the guidelines for placement of abandoned babies in private and public homes.
His comments came following media reports that three babies had been abandoned by their mothers after birth at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.
He said that such infants were sent to residential homes and foster parents, depending on their availability.
Structured guidelines
“There are nine Homes that care for such infants, including the Boys Centre, Dilkusha Home, St Christopher’s, Mahaffy Girls, Treasure Home, Veilomani Boys, Lomani Au Children’s Home, St Meena’s Home, and the Homes of Hope. Adoption Procedures have been carefully structured to ensure that adopted children are placed in a new and enabling family environment,” he said.
Dr Koroivueta warned that use of social and informal networks for child adoption is a punishable offence.
“The wellbeing of children is paramount and leaking information or taking pictures of abandoned children without the consent of the Social Welfare Ministry is a serious breach of confidentiality and violation of children’s rights.
“Apart from ensuring the welfare of such children, the Government monitors their progress in Homes during the first three months to confirm that they are well adjusted to the new environment,” he said.
Dr Koroivueta said that his Ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Homes of Hope to ensure adequate care and support to teenage mothers.
The Ministry administers the Care and Protection Programme, utilising the budget allocation of $5.9 million to families and guardians supporting children other than their own, or for parents facing financial difficulties in providing basic care for their children and to residential homes that provide care for children who are placed under the care of the Director of Social Welfare as provided in the Juvenile Act,” he said.
