Features

Adoption Procedures: Part 2

Outline of the Adoption procedures in Jamaica

THE FOLLOWING OUTLINE of the procedures for adoption in Jamaica is provided by the Adoption Board to whom I am indebted for their assistance.

STEP 1

The Adoption Board issues a pre-adoption form that should be completed by all Applicants and returned to the Adoption Board. In addition, an information letter on the Jamaican adoption programme is available to applicants at the offices of the Adoption Board in Kingston, Mandeville and Montego Bay.

STEP 2

The completed pre-adoption form when returned is reviewed by the Board's Office. An applicant who is considered suitable in the initial review is provided with an application form, a medical form and a listing of documents required. There is usually a period of four weeks for a response to be given from the time the pre-adoption form is received in the office of the Board.

STEP 3

On completion and return of all forms and documents requested in step two, they are reviewed and satisfactory cases are assigned to assistant adoption officers for further processing.

STEP 4

Parents of children to be adopted are interviewed and their consent to the adoption is requested.

STEP 5

An assessment is done of the applicant in the form of home visits, interviews, counselling, among other things. The applicant who lives abroad should submit a home study report. After the above is completed, the applicant is informed of his/her case status. This usually takes four weeks.

STEP 6

The Adoption Board assists applicants to identify children that are available for adoption. In general, an overseas applicant requires a licence and he/ she may come to Jamaica to decide on an available child.

STEP 7

Before an adoption is completed, locally placed children and their prospective adopted parents are supervised by the Adoption Board office for a period of between 3 and 4 months. Other placements are monitored for a period of 4-6 months.

STEP 8

Cases that appear to be satisfactory are submitted to a review committee of the Adoption Board.

STEP 9

An applicant approved by the committee is required to make a formal application to the Court. The applicant's case worker will provide guidance on this process.

STEP 10

A court hearing is arranged for the applicant and the child in the Family Court or Resident Magistrates Court in their parish of residence.

STEP 11

The applicant and the child to be adopted are required to meet with their case worker for a briefing on a day prior to the court hearing.

STEP 12

The applicant and the child to be adopted locally are required to attend the court hearing. The licence applicant is not usually required to attend court, however the Court can request his/her attendance. The child is always required to attend court and he/ she can be accompanied by a guardian.

Keith Bishop is an Attorney-at-Law and a partner in the law firm of Bishop & Fullerton.