The Central Adoption Authority (CAA) under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) in collaboration with UNICEF Ghana, officially launched the Adoption Training Manuals at the Ministry’s Conference Room on Thursday 13th July 2023.
The training manuals seek to guide and inform stakeholders, caregivers and the public on modalities of adoption issues in the country.
It is also to prepare adoptive parents to provide better care and protection for children whilst avoiding child protection violations.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu in her keynote address asserted that: in 2013, the Ministry suspended adoptions to streamline processes and safeguard the rights of children.
The suspension was lifted, and the Ministry implemented The Hague Convention by amending the Children’s Act 1998 to establish the Central Adoption Authority and a well-structured Child and Family Welfare system.
She also noted that the Ministry just last year, constituted the Adoption Technical Committee to start a zero draft of the Adoption Training Manual and is glad they’ve been able to complete their work.
Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu maintained that financial difficulty should not be the justification for placing children into adoption but rather the appropriate support should be given to such families
Mr. Fred Sakyi Boafo, the Deputy Director for Children and Family Welfare, in a statement, indicated that the Adoption Training Manual was developed to provide training for approved applicants by the Adoption Technical Committee.
He added that the Manual is a tool to provide basic knowledge and skills to prospective adoptive parents before the granting of an adoption order.
The Manual is divided into four modules covering topics such as child rights violations, adoption regulatory framework, caring for children in adoption, and parenting style and discipline.
The training is a requirement according to Regulation 37 of the Adoption Regulations, 2018, and certificates are issued upon completion.
According to the Child protection specialist from UNICEF, The training manual will equip potential adoptive parents with
knowledge and skills to protect children from violations and promote their development.
Technical support is also being provided to review the adoption training manual to ensure it recognizes the comprehensive and holistic rights of children.
