The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), functioning under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, organised an adoption awareness workshop in New Delhi on behalf of the Government of India. The event, held jointly with Delhi’s Department of Women and Child Development and the Delhi State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), brought together around 200 stakeholders from hospitals, police departments, child protection units and grassroots workers to combat illegal adoption practices.
What the workshop covered
The workshop operated under the theme “Legal Adoption. Safe Childhood. Secure Future. Say No to Illegal Adoption.” and formed part of the National Adoption Awareness Month for 2026. The event featured three main technical sessions addressing how different agencies can work together to prevent illegal adoption. These covered emerging trends in illegal adoption, the roles of hospitals, nursing homes, health systems, police and courts in prevention, and ways to strengthen child protection systems through coordination between State Adoption Resource Agencies, Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units and Child Care Institutions.
A short film on legal adoption was premiered to show why following the authorised adoption process matters and what dangers come with illegal adoption. Senior officials from the Delhi Police, health department and child protection system participated. A practitioner from the field shared real experience in combating illegal adoption, and the workshop ended with an interactive quiz to test participants’ understanding.
The workshop highlighted that illegal adoption violates the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and strips children of their legal protections and rights. It stressed the importance of coordination between women and child development departments, child welfare committees, hospitals, medical professionals, ASHA and ANM workers, police, courts and civil society organisations.
What this means for you
If you work in hospitals, police stations, child welfare committees or grassroots health and social programmes in Delhi, this workshop signals increased scrutiny on adoption cases in your area. The unified focus from multiple agencies means illegal adoption schemes are more likely to be detected and stopped. If you are considering adoption, the messaging reinforces that you must use only legal, transparent channels approved by the adoption system. Parents and communities should report suspected cases of illegal adoption to relevant authorities rather than overlook them.