Question NW25 to the Minister of Social Development
05 April 2017 - NW25
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1)Whether there are any outstanding requests made to the central authority of her department for intercountry adoptions of available children in terms of Article 17 of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, 1993; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what is the total number of the outstanding requests, (b) from which child protection agency was each application received, (c) what is the age of each affected child, (d) on what date was each request submitted and (e) does any affected child have special needs; (2) (a) what is the turnaround time for the issuing and/or refusal of an Article 17 application and (b) are written reasons furnished to the relevant party in each case of issuing and/or refusal; (3) whether her department has a policy in place for the issuing and/or refusal of Article 17 applications; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the full details of the specified policy, (b) which official(s) developed the policy and (c) when was the policy developed?
Reply:
1. Yes.
(a) Currently there is one (1) outstanding case.
(b) Wandisa Adoption Agency
(c) The child is 4 years 6 months old
(d) The request was submitted on 04 July 2016
(e) Yes, the child has special needs
(2) (a) 7 - 14 days
(b) Yes. Written and telephonic reasons are furnished to the relevant party in each case.
(3) No.The issuing of Article 17 by the Central Authority is regulated by The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (28 May 1993), Children’s Act 38 of 2005 Regulations In terms of the Children’s Act and Intercountry Adoption Guidelines.