The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, organised its third Regional Consultative Workshop for the Central Zone in Bhopal on Tuesday. The event was held in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA) at Ravindra Bhawan.
The workshop forms part of CARA’s nationwide Adoption Awareness Campaign themed “Promoting Non-Institutionalised Rehabilitation of Children with Special Needs (Divyaang Children)”, aimed at encouraging adoption and ensuring that children grow up in family-based environments rather than long-term institutional care.
Focus on Strengthening Child Protection Systems
The event was attended by around 200 participants representing over 170 districts from the Central Zone, which includes the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand.
Nirmala Bhuria, Minister for Women and Child Development in Madhya Pradesh, attended the workshop as the Chief Guest. Addressing the gathering, she emphasised the importance of strengthening child protection mechanisms and called for greater participation from society in supporting family-based care for children with special needs.
Wide Participation from Stakeholders
The workshop brought together key stakeholders involved in child welfare and adoption, including:
- Officials from State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARAs)
- Representatives of Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs)
- Child Care Institutions (CCIs)
- District Child Protection Units (DCPUs)
- Medical professionals and Chief Medical Officers (CMOs)
- Child protection experts
Participants engaged in discussions aimed at improving adoption processes and strengthening support systems for children with special needs.
Key Discussions and Deliberations
The consultation focused on several critical areas, including:
- Reviewing the current status of adoption of children with special needs across states
- Sharing successful adoption case studies
- Addressing challenges related to medical assessments and legal procedures
- Enhancing coordination between child protection services and healthcare systems
Participants also took part in group discussions to develop actionable recommendations to improve adoption outreach and facilitate faster rehabilitation of children with special needs into families.
Promoting Family-Based Care
During the workshop, a short film highlighting a successful adoption story of children with special needs was unveiled. The film demonstrated the transformative impact of family-based care and highlighted the role of community awareness in encouraging adoption.
The workshop concluded with a collective commitment from participating states and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, improve adoption facilitation mechanisms, and promote inclusive policies prioritising the welfare of children with special needs.
The recommendations emerging from the consultation are expected to guide future initiatives aimed at expanding family-based care and ensuring holistic rehabilitation for Divyaang children across India.
Source : PIB
Last Updated on: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 4:25 pm by Digital Herald Team | Published by: Digital Herald Team on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 4:25 pm | News Categories: Kolkata