XN000022-1975-08-06 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, AUCUST 6, 1975

ORPHAN GIRLS BECOMING MORE POPULAR WITH

ADOPTING COUPLES

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THE TRADITIONAL PREFERENCE FOR BOYS AMONG ADOPTING PARENTS APPEARS TO BE WANING WITH MORE AND MORE COUPLES WILLING TO ADOPT GIRLS, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY,

ADDRESSING THE LIONS CLUB OF BAYVIEW, HE NOTED THAT IT HAD BEEN A COMMON PRACTICE AMONG THE CHINESE FOR A CHILDLESS COUPLE TO ADOPT A BOY TO CARRY ON THE FAMILY NAME, BUT RECENTLY GIRLS WERE BECOMING MORE POPULAR.

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HOWEVER, DESPITE POPULAR BELIEF HONG KONG DID NOT HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WAITING TO BE ADOPTED, HE SAID, IT IS QUITE THE REVERSE AND, IN FACT, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO ADOPT CHILDREN THAN THERE ARE CHILDREN AVAILABLE.+

LAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE ONLY 43 CHILDREN AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, WHILE TEN YEARS AGO THERE WERE 134. AMONG THOSE NOW AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, HE SAID, ARE SOME SEVERELY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN FOR WHOM IT WILL ALWAYS BE DIFFICULT TO FIND ADOPTERS.

MR. LEE EXPLAINED THE PROCESS OF ADOPTION AND STRESSED THAT THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION IN ARRANGING THE ADOPTION OF A CHILD IS TO SEE THAT THE CHILD IS PLACED IN A HOME WITH AN ENVIRONMENT COMPATIBLE TO THAT IN WHICH CHILDREN SHOULD BE BROUGHT UP.

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+ THE BASIC PREMISE ON WHICH ADOPTION RESTS, HE SAID, IS THAT EVERY CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO BE LOVED AND PROPERLY CARED FOR IN A FAMILY SETTING.+

MR. LEE SQUASHED THE MISGUIDED BELIEF THAT WEALTH PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN ADOPTION. +ON THE CONTRARY, WEALTH IS ONLY A MINOR CONSIDERATION AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED,+ HE SAID. +WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE MOTIVATION, THE AFFECTION, THE CARE AND CONCERN FOR A CHILD.+

ALL APPLICATIONS FOR ADOPTIONS, HE WENT ON, MUST GO THROUGH THE SUPREME COURT AND UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES IT TOOK NOT LESS THAN SIX MONTHS TO COMPLETE A CASE.

ONCE A SUITABLE COUPLE HAS BEEN FOUND THE CHILD IS PLACED IN THEIR TEMPORARY CARE TO ALLOW TIME FOR ADJUSTMENT. AN ASSESSMENT IS THEN MADE AND A RECOMMENDATION PUT BEFORE THE COURT FOR THE ADOPTION TO PROCEED.

IN THE CASE OF AN ABANDONED CHILD, EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO TRACE THE PARENTS TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLAIM BACK THE CHILD. IF THEY DO NOT DO SO WITHIN A SPECIFIED PERIOD, AND A COURT ORDER IS GRANTED, THEY WOULD HAVE NO LEGAL CLAIM TO THE CHILD IN FUTURE.

/COMMENTING .....