Adoption & Foster Care Promoted

In a Consultation Dialogue with Key Partners on Adoption & Foster Care held recently at Asia’s Stars Hotel in Tacloban City, DSWD O.I.C.-Regional Director Resty Macuto of Field Office Eight addresses judges, lawyers, prosecutors, court social workers as well as Pantawid Pamilya staff of Region Eight as “Kapamilya,” “kakampi,” “kapuso.” He reiterated Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman’s call to strongly promote the Foster Care Services to hasten the child’s return to his biological family or his/her preparation for permanent placement. Director Macuto also re-echoed the Secretary’s directive to involve Pantawid Pamilya workers to be able to recruit more foster families. “They are some of our warriors on the ground ” he pointed out!

“Be as objective as possible,” Asst. Bureau Dir. Rosalie Dagulo of the Protective Services Bureau of DSWD Central Office,  on the other hand,  told social workers attending same activity.. She reminded them to have a thorough assessment and close monitoring of Adoption cases already filed in Court, until such time that the Adoption Decree, Certificate of Finality and the amended birth cert. have been issued.

She, however, emphasized a provision of a memo circular w/c states that “assessment of a child whose family is a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary should focus on family preparation in terms of how they can keep the child instead of relinguishing for adoption; unless otherwise it is harmful for the child to be with his family such as in the case of maltreatment, rape, among others.”

 

She said, “poverty is not an excuse for relinguishing parental authority !.”

 

To further promote Adoption and Foster Care Service,  an Adoption & Foster Care Help Desk opened March 19 till 20 at the Save More lobby near the main entrance. It catered to queries from the public such as, “Do you want to be a foster parent?” DSWD issues license to a DSWD – subsidized family or a volunteer one.

 

So be among the 327 foster families in the region! Many abandoned, neglected, abused, surrendered children await a kind soul to give them alternative parental care. The solution: Foster Care or Adoption, for a permanent child placement !  Reyschel Balase. Social Worker, made this call during an arranged phone – patched interview with DYVL.#