ADOPTING A CHILD

Adopting a Child

Adoption is the permanent legal transfer of parental rights and responsibilities for a child from the natural birth parents to another adult known as the adopter. Adults over the age of 25 who meet specific criteria may be eligible to adopt a child.

The Adoption Board of the Ministry of the People and Social Development follows a stringent evaluation process to ensure that children are placed with adoptive parents who meet the Board’s criteria. Prospective adoptive parents are investigated and evaluated before they are approved as suitable candidates for adoption to ensure that children will be safe, loved and nurtured. The identities of both the birth parents and the adopters remain confidential. However, when the child reaches the age of 18, the court may be approached to release any information that is available.

Am I eligible to adopt a child?
The following criteria must be met by persons applying to adopt a child:
Applicants must be 25 years old, and at least 21 years older than the child to be adopted.
In a case where the sole applicant is a male, the court must be satisfied that there are special circumstances to justify the application. Single adults are eligible to adopt.
All applicants must be resident and living in Trinidad and Tobago. New legislation is expected in the future to facilitate applications from persons residing overseas.

How do I apply to adopt a child?
There are two ways to adopt a child through the Adoption Board:
You can make a request to the Board for a child to be placed in your care.
If you have a child or children already in your care, you can approach the Board to formalize the agreement.

The following steps must be followed to adopt a child:
Visit the nearest office of the Adoption Board for an informal interview with an adoption officer.
Complete the application form provided by the interviewing officer (if the applicant is a suitable candidate) and submit the following documents with the application form:
A valid form of national picture identification (passport, driver’s permit, ID card).
Medical reports from a doctor who is registered with the Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
Certificate of Character from the Criminal Records Office of the Police Service (information on how to obtain this document can be found by following the link below).
Any other documents the Board may request at the time of the initial interview.
Indicate the description of the child to be adopted (for persons requesting a placement).
Attend a private court hearing at the request of the court.

An Adoption Order is prepared when the adoption is finalised that permanently transfers the parental rights and responsibilities from the natural parents to the adoptive parents. An Adoption Certificate is issued that replaces the birth certificate.

What fees do I need to pay to adopt a child?
The services of the Adoption Board are provided free of charge, however, applicants are responsible for the cost of their own medical examinations and preparation of other documents, such as the Certificate of Character.

How long does the process take?
There is no fixed time period within which an adoption can be finalised. As a general guide, adoption applications usually take nine months or more to complete.

Extracted From: TT Connect