Sun Xueling on safeguards to protect adopted children from abuse
The primary consideration when processing applications for adopting children is the child's welfare and best interests. There are various steps in the adoption process to ensure this. Prospective adopters must undergo a comprehensive adoption suitability assessment. If found suitable, they will receive a favourable home study report. This allows them to search for a child to adopt through adoption agencies or their own contacts. Once a child is identified, the adopters will make an application to the court, which will appoint the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) as the guardian. Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling outlined these safeguards in reply to MPs’ questions in Parliament on Wednesday (Jan 10). She said social workers and professionals employed at children's homes receive compulsory training to recognise signs and symptoms of sexual and other forms of abuse. She said in the recently reported case of abuse, these procedures were followed by the home and the offender did not have a prior criminal record. “This incident is very regrettable and all the professionals and social service workers who have been in contact with the child are shaken,” she said. She added that the children's home had made every effort to perform due diligence on persons who have contact with the child and to supervise the contact. The social service professionals have also followed up actively with supervised visits. She said it is not possible to predict with absolute certainty how the relationship between an adopted child and the adoptive parent develops. Ms Sun said MSF will continue to emphasise to the homes the importance of selecting and training their volunteers well and to constantly monitor their residents’ safety and well-being.
The primary consideration when processing applications for adopting children is the child's welfare and best interests. There are various steps in the adoption process to ensure this. Prospective adopters must undergo a comprehensive adoption suitability assessment. If found suitable, they will receive a favourable home study report. This allows them to search for a child to adopt through adoption agencies or their own contacts. Once a child is identified, the adopters will make an application to the court, which will appoint the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) as the guardian. Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling outlined these safeguards in reply to MPs’ questions in Parliament on Wednesday (Jan 10). She said social workers and professionals employed at children's homes receive compulsory training to recognise signs and symptoms of sexual and other forms of abuse. She said in the recently reported case of abuse, these procedures were followed by the home and the offender did not have a prior criminal record. “This incident is very regrettable and all the professionals and social service workers who have been in contact with the child are shaken,” she said. She added that the children's home had made every effort to perform due diligence on persons who have contact with the child and to supervise the contact. The social service professionals have also followed up actively with supervised visits. She said it is not possible to predict with absolute certainty how the relationship between an adopted child and the adoptive parent develops. Ms Sun said MSF will continue to emphasise to the homes the importance of selecting and training their volunteers well and to constantly monitor their residents’ safety and well-being.
