Nwalozie, (2003) noted that when a couple comes to the
welfare office for the purpose of adoption baby, they are given an initial
counseling by the social worker. During this counseling session, the social
worker tries to find out the reason why they want to adopt and also informs the
prospective adoptive parents of the psychosocial and then writes
a formal application and also files
a confidential form which contains data like:
-
Age
-
Sex
-
Occupation
-
Religion
-
Permanent address
-
Sex and age of
desired baby
-
Name and address of
two guarantors
The form is then submitted along with birth
certificate and medical reports.
Furthermore, Funnilayo and Kolawole,
(2006) say that the intending partners also swears to an affidavit of means to take care
of the baby and affidavit of consent, that the child will have full right as
their natural children if they do have any. To confirm the suitability or
otherwise of the adoptive applicants, Nwalozie (2003) went on to say that the
social worker conducts an assessment of the adoptive applicants. The social
worker does this by visiting the couple at home to assess their home conditions
and then write a social report on the couples. An eligible couple is contacted
as soon as the social worker finds a baby of their choice. The couple is then
invited to see the baby in the orphanage or motherless babies’ home where
he/she is temporarily admitted. If they are satisfied with the baby, other
legal procedures for the legal release of the baby follow: the baby is temporarily given to the adoptive
parents and the social workers supervise them for period of three months.
Finally, when the social workers are convinced and
satisfied that the child would be well care by the adoptive parents, a social
in quarry report is prepared (Funmilayo and Kolawole, 2006) . The report
consists of the social workers
investigation and observation during the period of supervisions and this forms
that basis for the final adoption. The report thus is presented to the
magistrate at a juvenile court who hears the case in his chambers out of public
view and hearing. The magistrate if satisfied rules that the child should be
legally transferred to the couple and
adoption is issued.