Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore announced new guidelines for the adoption of children in Kenya on Tuesday.
In the draft Children (Adoption) Regulations, 2024, fees for processing local adoption were established at Ksh30,000, with adoption certificates also requiring a fee of Ksh500. Additionally, the regulations stated that the application for adoption would be free of charge.
However, the government is proposing restrictions on newlywed couples seeking to adopt children. According to the proposed regulations, couples making a joint application must have been married for more than three years. Furthermore, Kenyans wishing to adopt children must provide police clearance certificates acquired within six months of the application date.
Prospective adoptive parents will also undergo counseling before being cleared for the adoption process, with these requirements aimed at safeguarding the well-being of children.
Additionally, the new regulations outline a mechanism for assessing the suitability of a home for placement of the child for a period of time.
The regulations clarify that an adopted child holds inheritance rights and, according to Kenyan marriage laws, the adoptive parents, their biological children (if any), and the adopted child are considered within the prohibited degree of consanguinity, preventing them from entering into a marriage relationship.
It emphasizes the importance of providing a caring and secure family environment for adopted children, acknowledging that they may have experienced traumatic events and have the right to know about their adoption and origin as soon as they are able to understand.
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