The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), operating under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, has unveiled its 2026 awareness campaign to encourage legal adoption and discourage illegal practices. The initiative targets prospective parents, government officials, healthcare workers and the general public across the country.
Campaign Theme and Activities
The campaign theme is “Legal Adoption. Safe Childhood. Secure Future. Say No to Illegal Adoption.” Rather than concentrating awareness efforts in a single month, CARA will now run year-round outreach activities starting from September 2026.
Key elements include:
- State and union territory-level Adoption Awareness Workshops beginning September 2026 onwards
- An inaugural workshop in Delhi on 10 September 2026 at the Delhi Secretariat
- Engagement with multiple stakeholders including child welfare committees, police, hospitals, medical professionals, ASHA workers, legal services authorities, civil society organisations and media
The workshops will focus on understanding the statutory adoption process, improving coordination between departments, identifying illegal adoption practices, and emphasising the best interests of the child. Topics will include timely reporting of separated children, lawful surrender procedures, and declaring children as legally free for adoption.
What This Means for You
If you are considering adoption, you must follow only the legal process through CARA and authorised agencies rather than private arrangements. Healthcare workers, police officers and community health volunteers will receive training to identify and report suspected illegal adoptions. Citizens are encouraged to report suspected illegal adoption cases to the authorities. The campaign seeks to build awareness that adoption is a formal, child-protective legal process—not a private transaction—and that every child deserves safety, identity protection and a secure future through lawful channels.