ADOPTION OF BABIES

Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Community Development and Sports if he will indicate (i) the guidelines for the adoption of a baby from Singapore and from overseas; (ii) the number of adoptions between 1985 and 1999; and (iii) whether there is a need to relax adoption regulations to fulfil the dreams of infertile couples.

Mr Abdullah Tarmugi: The Adoption of Children Act (1985) stipulates the guidelines for adoption in Singapore. Prospective adopters petition to the Singapore Court for the adoption of the child through a solicitor or in person. The Court then appoints the Attorney-General (AG) who, as Guardian-ad-litem, will request MCDS to investigate and submit a social report on the suitability of the adoption. If the adoption is in the interest of the child, the Court then grants the Adoption Order. The whole process takes up to 6 months.

Prospective parents who wish to adopt a baby from overseas apply to the country concerned and seek clearance with the relevant authority there before bringing the child to Singapore. In this respect, MCDS helps couples to expedite the process by providing a home study and suitability report of the prospective parents to the foreign authorities. Where the foreign authorities request supervision of the child after he or she is here and before adoption is concluded, MCDS also provides the service and submits progress reports of the child to the foreign authorities.

The data on the number of legal adoptions investigated by MCDS over the past 10 years show an increase. In 1990, there were 595 adoptions completed and 721 in 1999. The number of foreign babies adopted in recent years has stabilised at an average of 430 per year. The adoption of foreign babies often depends on the preferences of parents and the ease of sourcing for babies from the respective countries.

The current system of assessing suitability for adoption is a comprehensive one which balances the interests of both the adopters and the child. While it is good to make adoption a speedier or easier process for couples who want to adopt, it is necessary to balance this with sufficient safeguards to determine that the adoption is indeed in the child's best long term interest. Adopters need time to prepare for and appreciate the enormous responsibilities that they plan to undertake in adopting a child. We will continue to facilitate the adoption process as far as possible while working to protect the interests of children put up for adoption. Chart - Mediation Processes for Cases of Non-Registration and Dropout (Cols. 971-972)