306 local adoption applications have been processed since March this year following the implementation of amendments to Fiji’s Adoption Act.
This has been highlighted in Parliament by Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran while responding to a question by Government MP Kalaveti Ravu on the current average time taken to process an adoption application and whether the changes to the Adoption Act have resulted in a more efficient process.
She says of these cases, 16 cases have progressed to court filings, and we have already seen our first Adoption Order successfully granted at the Lautoka Magistrate Court.
Kiran says when the Adoption Amendment Act was introduced late last year, there were more than 500 adoption applications pending.
The Minister says since March, around 300 of these applications have been processed or progressed.
She says one of the challenges is ensuring counselling is completed and staff are able to finalise the required paperwork.
However, Kiran says there has been significant progress since the amended Act came into full effect.
