Thinking of adopting a child? Here is the process of adopting in Kenya Adopt a Child in Kenya Median adoption fees for Kenya, for instance, were $6,250 in 2013, but most of the countries that the US State Department keeps statistics for hover around the $15,000 range. If you’re adopting from Albania or South Africa, you can expect to pay around $27,000 [source: U.S. State Department].
Adoptive parent (s): What do you require?
For a couple that wishes to adopt, you must have been in a marital relationship for at least three years. A person who is married to the child’s parent can only adopt with the other biological parent’s consent. A single person between 25 and 65 years of age.
A relative to the child if the relative has been taking care of the child. This is known as kinship adoption.
The age gap between the child and the adopting parent should be more than 21 years.
The adoptive parent and the child must be resident in Kenya for six months at the time of the proposed adoption. The applicant should be in possession of the child granting continuous care for three months consecutively before submission of the application for the adoption order.
Adoptive child: Who can be adopted?
The child must be below the age of 18 years and residing in Kenya may be adopted as long as;
The child is abandoned and the whereabouts of the parents/guardians are unknown.
The child is an orphan and there is no guardian/caregiver who is willing to take care of the child.
The parents/guardians of the child have given consent for the child to be adopted (parent offer adoptions).
The child requires an alternative permanent placement.
Process: How does one adopt?
One can only adopt through a registered and accredited adoption society. The stages of adoption are:
Orientation meeting
One visits the adoption society and makes enquiries. The adoption process and the requirements are explained. The adopting parent(s) fill and return the application forms.
Home visit
The society looks into the whereabouts of the adopter(s) to know whether the needs of the child will be met. Some of the things that are checked are;
a. The reasons for wanting to adopt
b. The family situation of the adopters
c. Their home area security
d. The adopters’ expectations of the child i.e age, sex
Matching and placement
A social worker consults with the adopting parent(s) and arrangement to meet the child is made (Introduction and bonding period). If bonding is deemed successful, the child is released to the care of the adopter(s).
Fostering period
The adopting parent(s) stay with the child for a period of three months. The social worker regularly drops by to check on the relationship between the parent(s) and the child. The social worker also looks at how well the child is adjusting to the new environment.
Court phase
The Children’s Court finalises on all the adoption matters. The ability to support and educate the child are examined by the court which may or may not allow the adoption. The social worker may give an opinion on the capability of the adoptive parent(s).
The child requires an alternative permanent placement.
Process: How does one adopt?
One can only adopt through a registered and accredited adoption society. The stages of adoption are:
Orientation meeting
One visits the adoption society and makes enquiries. The adoption process and the requirements are explained. The adopting parent(s) fill and return the application forms.
Home visit
The society looks into the whereabouts of the adopter(s) to know whether the needs of the child will be met. Some of the things that are checked are;
a. The reasons for wanting to adopt
b. The family situation of the adopters
c. Their home area security
d. The adopters’ expectations of the child i.e age, sex
Matching and placement
A social worker consults with the adopting parent(s) and arrangement to meet the child is made (Introduction and bonding period). If bonding is deemed successful, the child is released to the care of the adopter(s).
Fostering period
The adopting parent(s) stay with the child for a period of three months. The social worker regularly drops by to check on the relationship between the parent(s) and the child. The social worker also looks at how well the child is adjusting to the new environment.
Court phase
The Children’s Court finalises on all the adoption matters. The ability to support and educate the child are examined by the court which may or may not allow the adoption. The social worker may give an opinion on the capability of the adoptive parent(s).
Procedure of Adoption ( Adopt a Child in Kenya)
- One can only adopt through a registered and accredited adoption society. The stages of adoption are:
Stage 1: Orientation meeting
- One visits the adoption society and makes enquiries. On this initial visit the following will be discussed:
- Pre-requisites for adoption
- Procedures
- Recommended advocates
- Home visits/ social worker’s visits
- Guardian to be appointed
- References required
- Application forms
- Costs involved
- The adopting parent(s) will then be given the application forms to fill and submit together with the required documents if they meet the requirements given by the law, e.g. age limit, The following should be attached:-
- 2 full sized recent photos of the applicant(s)
- Copy of ID (Kenyan citizens)
- Marriage certificate (where necessary)
- Medical Report
- Proof of financial status-Pay slip, Bank Statement etc.
- Your application is only considered formal when you hand in your duly completed application forms
Stage 2: Home visit to determine eligibility Adopt a Child in Kenya
- The adoption society will then look into the whereabouts/ eligibility of the adopter(s) to determine whether the needs of the child will be met.
- The main aim of the visit is to:
- Know the applicants physical location ( where the child will be living)
- To assess the suitability of the applicant(s) to adopt/ foster a child – living conditions are also assessed.
- To have an in depth interview with the applicant(s) in the privacy of their home
NOTE: In case of a joint application, both applicants MUST be present during the home visit.
Stage 3: Medical Check-up
- This MUST be done by a doctor recommended by the Society
- Note that the adoption regulations require that a HIV test is carried out as part of the medical examination.
Stage 4: Matching and placement
- A social worker consults with the adopting parent(s) and arrangement to meet the child is made (Introduction and bonding period).
- If bonding is deemed successful, the child is released to the care of the adopter(s). Adopt a Child in Kenya
Stage 5: Fostering period
- The adopting parent(s) stay with the child for a period of three months.
- The social worker will regularly drop by to check on the relationship between the parent(s) and the child.
- The social worker also will also look at how well the child is adjusting to the new environment. Adopt a Child in Kenya
Stage6: Court phase
- The Children’s Court will then finalize on all the adoption matters.
- The ability to support and educate the child are examined by the court which may or may not allow the adoption.
- The social worker may give an opinion on the capability of the adoptive parent(s).
Required Documents
- 2 full sized recent photos of the applicant(s)
- Copy of ID (Kenyan citizens)
- Marriage certificate (where necessary)
- Medical Report of the adoptive parent
- Proof of financial status-Pay slip, Bank Statement etc.
- The child’s birth certificate
- If the child is a school going child, a copy of the school progress report
- A children officers report
- Death certificate if the child’s parents are deceased Adopt a Child in Kenya
- Chief’s letter
- Proof of home ownership
- Birth certificates of any children the adoptive parent may have
- Certificates of good conduct.
Office Locations & Contacts Adopt a Child in Kenya
Children Services
State Department for Social Protection,
Bishops Road, Social Security House,
P.O. Box 40326 – 00100, Nairobi.
Telephone: +254 (0) 2729800
Fax: +254 020 2726497
Email: ps@socialprotection.go.ke
Website: Children Services
Eligibility
For a Kenyan/s to be are allowed to adopt their first child, one has to meet the following prerequisites conditions.
- Must be aged between 25 and 65,
- Must be 21 years older than the child they wish to adopt,
- Is a mother or father of child,
- In case of a joint application the couple must have been married to one another for at least three years,
- Single applicants (male or female) cannot adopt children of the opposite sex unless under special circumstances,
- A sole foreign female applicant can only adopt under special circumstances.
- A relative to the child if the relative has been taking care of the child. This is known as kinship adoption.
- The adoptive parent and the child must be resident in Kenya for six months at the time of the proposed adoption
For a child to be adopted in Kenya, the child has to meet the following eligibility criteria.
- In Kenya, a child cannot be adopted unless the child is at least six (6) weeks old and has been declared free for adoption by a registered adoption society.
- The child must be below the age of 18 years and residing in Kenya
- Any child who is resident within Kenya may be adopted whether or not the child is a Kenyan citizen, or was or was not born in Kenya.
- The child is abandoned and the whereabouts of the parents/guardians are unknown.
- The child is an orphan and there is no guardian/caregiver who is willing to take care of the child.
- The parents/guardians of the child have given consent for the child to be adopted (parent offer adoptions).
Fees
- Legal fees for processing the process are required at various stages of the application process.
- These fees vary depending in the agency which you use to facilitate the adoption process.
Validity
- The validity period is forever.
Documents to Use
- Application documents are provided at the adoption agency.
Processing Time
- The processing time is six month.
Instructions
- The procedures for child adoption in Kenya are conducted by the adoption society.
Main Steps in Adoption
- Assessment of prospective adoptive parents by an adoption society.
- Declaration of a child proposed as free for adoption by an adoption society
- Placement of child with applicants
- Three months mandatory bonding filing period within the Republic of Kenya prior to matter before court.
Required Information
- Full names and bio data of applicant(s)
- Marital status
- Medical report od adoptive parents
- Financial status
- Child’s date of birth and gender.
- Criminal records of applicant’s
Need for the Document
- Adoption is the legal process by which a child becomes the child of persons other than his/her natural or biological parents.
- When a child is legally adopted the adopter or adopters become the child’s parent(s).
- Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from the biological parent or parents.
Information which might help
- The law prohibits the advertisement of a child for adoption.
The following persons are not allowed to adopt in Kenya
- Is not of sound mind within the meaning of the Mental Health Act (Cap. 248).
- Has been charged and convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction for any of the offences set out in the Third Schedule to the Act or similar offences. The prescribed offences generally include defilement, sexual offences, immoral behavior, and attempt to procure abortion, unnatural offences; and assault.
- Is a homosexual; accordingly, homosexuality is illegal in Kenya hence the prohibition of gay persons from adopting children.
- In the case of joint applicants, if they are not married to each other.
- Is a sole foreign male applicant.
Guardian Ad Litem
- These are guardians appointed by the court for the child pending the hearing and determination of the adoption application. Some of the duties of guardian include:
- Safeguard the interests of the child pending the determination of the adoption proceedings.
- Investigate and appraise the court as to the circumstances pertinent to the adoption of the child in the prescribed manner.
- Make recommendations as to the priority of making any interim orders or an adoption order in respect of the child.
- Intervene on behalf of the child and arrange for the care of the child in the event of the withdrawal of any consent.
- Undertake such duties as the court may direct.
External Links
Others
Consents needed for adoption in Kenya to be finalized include
- From the existing parents, guardians or anyone else contributing to the maintenance of the child under any agreement or order.
- Parents or guardian(s) of the mother of the child in case she (mother) is a minor.
- Step-father who has acquired parental responsibility.
- On the application of one of the spouses with the consent of the other spouse.
- In case of foreigners not residing in Kenya, the consent of a competent jurisdiction or a government authority situated in the country where both or one of the spouses ordinarily resides, permitting the spouses to adopt a foreign child.
- In case of a child who has attained the age of 14 years with the consent of the child.
Instances where consent for adoption can be withheld include
- First is when the parents or guardians are untraceable because the child was abandoned.
- It is also possible to withhold consent if spouses are permanently separated.
