Nyeri couples embrace foster parenting, adoption

Stigma often associated with childlessness is slowly dying off in Nyeri County as society accepts adoption as an alternative form of parenting.

So encouraging is the state of affairs that on average three adoption processes are being handled at the Nyeri High Court every month according to Nyeri County Children’s Officer Mwaniki Kung’u.

The children officer says the majority of those attending these sessions are couples who want to bring up children owing to various reasons including those who have transitioned to the empty nest.

“Prospective adoptive parents usually come. Stigma associated with childlessness is actually dying out. Every month we are getting at least three adoption proceedings in court besides couples who are visiting our offices to seek help on how they can go about the process,” Kung’u told KNA.

Among those intending to adopt children, include couples who have the means to take up additional children besides their own.

This is particularly so among parents whose biological children have already left home and are currently working and therefore not dependent on their parents.

“Some parents want to adopt children owing to what we refer to as an ‘empty nest’ a situation where couples get children early and after rearing them to adulthood find themselves lonely but still strong and financially stable to bring up other young ones. Such parents also come to our office seeking to get a child whom they can bring up as their own,” he explains.

For one to qualify as an adoptive parent, Section 12 article 154 to 183 of the Children Act applies.

Under the laws of Kenya, only married couples proven to be in a position to provide basic needs to a child are eligible for adoption.

Mr Kung’u also says such parents must be aged above 25 years and not older than 60 years.

In addition, they must be 21 years older than the child they wish to adopt.

The couples are also required to produce medical certificates to show they are free from life-threatening diseases that may deny the child care and protection in the event one or both of the parents suddenly dies.

“Once a couple comes to our office what I normally do is to link them to an adoption agency so that they can get the requisite advice and be assessed for their suitability and also be matched with the available children. It is from there that the entire process kicks off,” he adds.

There are at least 28 Children Charitable Trusts in Nyeri County alone according to the official from where couples can visit and identify a child of their preference.

In regard to the timeline and financial implication on the entire process, the officer points out that while the cost depends on the money the lawyer involved will ask from the couple, the time taken to finalise the process is usually beyond a year.

Nevertheless, once the couples have done the necessary paperwork and identified the baby of their choice, they are ideally allowed to go home with the child for bonding purposes as the legal process proceeds.

“The time taken in court cannot take less than a year but once you have matched with the child it is released to you as long as everything is correct. Overall, the process is never expensive as long as it is a local arrangement and not a foreigner doing the adoption,” he explains while urging parents who are unable to bear their own children to visit any adoption agency where they can get the necessary help.

Some of the leading adoption agencies include Buckner Kenya, Little Angels, Kenyan’s to Kenyan’s Peace Initiative and the New Life Home Trust.

According to Global Living, an online post by New Life Home Trust there are over 2 million abandoned infants in Kenya to date.

 Some of the reasons that have been identified for abandonment of babies range from ill-health, malnutrition and lack of means to bring up such infants due to entrenched poverty.