80 children adopted from Child Welfare Committee in 2025

The State Child Welfare Committee is a mechanism set up by the government to devise child welfare activities across the state. This committee gained popularity when it introduced the "Mother's Cradle scheme. In this scheme, children who are unable to be looked after by their parents for various reasons can be put into the ‘Ammathottil’ (Mother’s cradle) of the Child Welfare Committees in all districts. The government will ensure all care for the child without caring to trace the parentage of the child.

Despite a few criticisms during its earlier stage, the scheme led to the elimination of forlorn children on the streets abandoned by their parents.

The incidents of children from the Child Welfare Committee reclaimed by parents, and the controversies and cases related to them, are part of the history associated with the Child Welfare Committee. Another special feature of the project is that it allows parents to reclaim their child legally after proving their parentage through a DNA test. Till November this year, 43 children were received through Ammathottil in the state. Thiruvananthapuram is at the forefront with 22 children. Pathanamthitta received eight children, and Alappuzha received seven children. Most of the abandoned children are girls - 28 girls. 15 boys were also received this year.

Since the introduction of the scheme in Thiruvananthapuram on November 14, 2002, the media has attached great importance to reporting the news about the arrival of a newborn at the mother’s cradle. The children received in this way are raised in orphanages or adopted by the committee. Although there are strict conditions for adopting children, the fact that the number of people who follow all these and register to adopt children is increasing every year. This sends a message that children earlier abandoned at the orphanage will be ensured a new lease of life and a secure future.

In the past, only childless couples used to adopt children from the Child Welfare Committee and other orphanages. But that is not the case today. Even single women and men who do not want to get married are coming forward to adopt children. Accordingly, the laws have also changed.

This year, ten children have come under the single-parenting umbrella through the Child Welfare Committee. This year, 80 children have been adopted by the Child Welfare Committee so far. Of these, ten have been given to the care of only one mother or father. It is also commendable that more people are now coming forward to adopt children with disabilities than in the past. 22 children were adopted abroad this year. It is also a welcome new experience that even those who have up to three children of their own are now ready to adopt. To adopt children, it is mandatory to get registered in the centralised digital database, CARA. While women are given adoption regardless of gender, only boys are given to male guardians.