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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1986
+WHEN PROCEDURES TO FREE THE CHILDREN ARE IN PROGRESS, THEY ARE PLACED IN CHILDREN'S CENTRES OR CRECHES FOR TEMPORARY CARE AND UNDERGO MEDICAL EXAMINATION FACILITATE ONWARD WELFARE PLANNING FOR THEM, INCLUDING ADOPTION,+ MRS CHAN EXPLAINED.
SHE ADDED THAT FOR LOCAL ADOPTION, INTERESTED RESIDENTS WERE WELCOME TO APPROACH THE ADOPTION UNIT FOR AN INTERVIEW.
FOR OVERSEAS ADOPTION, MRS CHAN SAID THERE WAS AN OVERSEAS ADOPTION PROGRAMME THAT THE DEPARTMENT RAN IN CLOSE CO-OPERATION WITH I.S.S. WHICH HAD AN INTER-COUNTRY ADOPTION NETWORK COVERING U.S.A., CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND U.K.
+ THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAMME IS TO SECURE SUITABLE HOMES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO STAND A VERY SLIM CHANCE OF BEING ADOPTED LOCALLY, SHE EXPLAINED.
APART FROM THE ADOPTION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, SHE NOTED THAT THE OTHER FORM OF ADOPTION WAS BY PRIVATE ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY THE STATUS OF THE ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN OR CHILDREN FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE COULD BE LEGALISED IN THE CURRENT MATRIMONIAL HOME OF THE PARENT AND THOSE CHILDREN GIVEN AWAY BY THEIR NATURAL PARENTS OR GUARDIAN TO UNRELATED PERSONS COULD BE LEGALLY ADOPTED BY THESE PERSONS.
MRS CHAN OBSERVED THAT THIS FORM OF ADOPTION WAS NOT ALWAYS SATISFACTORY IN THAT THERE WAS NO PRIOR ASSESSMENT OF THE SUITABILITY OF THE PROSPECTIVE ADOPTERS AND IT MIGHT BE MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS AFTER THE CHILD HAD BEEN PLACED WITH HIS ADOPTERS THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ADOPTERS' INTENTION TO ADOPT THE CHILD.
J
+FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILD, WOULD URGE ALL SUCH PARENTS TO APPROACH THE DEPARTMENT IN THE FIRST INSTANCE IF THEY INTEND TO GIVE UP THEIR CHILD FOR ADOPTION,+ SHE SAID.
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