Three children were adopted in 2022, which is half, and almost a third less than in the previous period. Ten adoptions were realized in 2014, and six in 2017. Among the children who are ready for adoption, there are more children with developmental disabilities and children from the REA population (Roma, Egyptians and Ashkali). This is what the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare told "Vijesta".
They explained that the number of adoptions is decreasing, among other things, by the fact that the centers for social work are working to strengthen the biological family, but also by the fact that in the meantime alternative forms of child care, such as foster care, have been developed.
"In recent years, the number of realized adoptions has decreased. For example, 2014 adoptions were realized in 10, six in 2017, and three last year. The number of children who are ready for adoption is lower compared to the previous period, primarily because the work of professionals in social work centers is aimed at strengthening the biological family, improving parental capacities and creating conditions for the eventual return of the child to the biological family. Also, in recent years, work has been done in Montenegro on the development of alternative forms of care for children, such as placing children in foster families, all with the aim of preventing the placement of children in social and child protection institutions", said the department of the minister in the technical mandate. Admir Adrović.
The adoption procedure, as they reminded, is regulated by the Family Law and the Law on Social and Child Protection.
"Interested married couples start the adoption procedure at the center for social work in the municipality of their place of residence. Married couples who want to adopt a child submit an application to the competent center for social work, after which they will receive information about the documentation they need to submit from the center's expert workers. The Center for Social Work evaluates and prepares potential adopters, more precisely, the center forms a team consisting of a social worker, a psychologist and a lawyer, whose task is to assess the suitability of potential adopters", explained the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
As they said, the expert team, based on several conversations, direct contact in the family environment of the married couple, looks at the personal characteristics of potential adopters, their motivation for adoption, as well as other elements that are relevant to the assessment of suitability for adoption.
"Along with the assessment process, the preparation of potential adopters is carried out, which is also carried out by experts employed at the center. The preparation of the married couple is very important for future adoptive parents, because during the program the topics that concern couples the most are covered. Assessment and preparation of adopters are two parts of one complete process. After the expert team assesses that potential adopters are eligible to adopt a child, a final finding and opinion is formed, which is sent to the competent ministry with accompanying documentation. After the competent ministry assesses that the procedure has been carried out professionally, potential adopters are registered in the unique register located in the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare", explained Adrović's department.
They also claim that the eligibility assessment procedure itself is not long and complicated, but adds that the waiting period for a child has been significantly extended in recent years. They explain that the reason for this is the significantly lower number of children who are ready for adoption.
"In the past period, a decreasing number of children are placed in an institution for children without parental care, but instead are referred to alternative forms of protection, such as placement in foster families. Also, the ultimate goal of working with families is to return children to their biological family, and to a greater extent, parents are referred to support programs that will improve their functioning and enable them to eventually take over the care of children," said the Department of Labor and Social Welfare.
As they added, in the last period the structure of children who are ready for adoption has also changed and that now there are more and more children with developmental disabilities and children who come from the REA population.
"The situation in Montenegro in recent years is similar to that in neighboring countries and developed European countries, so the number of people interested in adopting children is much higher than the number of children eligible for adoption," said the department of Adrović.
When asked whether parents who left their children cause obstacles in the adoption process, and how it is resolved, they said that this never happened in practice.
"Adoption can be established only if certain legal conditions are met, and if the parents have given their consent for the adoption to be established, or if they are deprived of parental rights/business capacity, or if the parents' place of residence is unknown for at least six months, and during that period they do not take care of the child . Bearing in mind that a child can be adopted only after the stated conditions have been met, in practice it has never happened that biological parents make the adoption process difficult", said the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
Stating some of the conditions for adoption, they said that, according to the Family Law, which prescribes age limits, a child can be adopted by a married couple, when one of them is between the ages of 30 and 50, and that the person is at least 18 years older than the adoptee. .
"Regarding the child, the legal requirement is that a child cannot be adopted before three months have passed since its birth", they clarified.
The law provides that a child can be adopted by a hetero couple living in a common-law union, but also by a person who does not have a partner.
"A person who lives alone can adopt a child if there are particularly justified reasons for doing so and if it is in the best interest of the child. In that case, consent is given by the ministry in charge of social welfare affairs", explained the department of Adrović.
Domestic regulations do not allow couples, where one partner is a foreigner, to adopt children who are Montenegrin citizens. This is possible, only if an adoptive parent cannot be found for them in Montenegro. In that case, the consent of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare is required, which is given based on the opinion of the expert committee.
Couples from Montenegro, as they said, can adopt children from abroad, and in that case, the adoption procedure is conducted in the child's country of origin, in accordance with the legal regulations of the country where the adoption is based.
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