THE REGIONAL Alternative Child Care Office (RACCO) XI revealed that the region has over 60 licensed foster families and 82 children under their care.
During the Kapihan forum on May 3, Sheena Lyka Dollolasa, RACCO XI Capacity Building Unit officer in-charge, said some children are being taken care of by licensed foster parents instead of putting them in residential care facilities.
“Foster parents will not be considered licensed foster parents if they are not licensed by the National Authority for Child Care. They need to undergo application, assessment, and then will be recommended for their application to be approved,” Dollolasa said.
Dollolasa said foster care is a temporary placement of children to licensed foster families in cases of abuse, neglect, or other special circumstances. On the other hand, adoption is a permanent placement of the children.
Meanwhile, Shayne A. Sampiano, RACCO XI Domestic Adoption Unit head, said there are nine cases filed for adoption this year.
“We asked our petitioners or our prospective adoptive parents to be patient because we submit petitions on a first come and first serve basis and the NACC will also review it afterward to ensure that the children’s placement in an adoptive family would also be for their best welfare and interest,” Sampiano said.
The Regional Alternative Child Care Office will conduct its first national congress on Adoption in Alternative Childcare for the Mindanao chapter on May 7-8 at Acacia Hotel, Davao City to further expound discussions about the Republic Act 11642, also known as the Domestic and Administrative Adoption in Alternative Childcare Act.
The national congress will also discuss the process of adoption, how to combat illegal adoption, anti-trafficking in persons, and the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement signing on the Foster Care Program between the NACC and various local government units.
