The process of providing remedial counselling before terminating the adoption of a minor child

The process of providing remedial counselling and assistance when adoptive parents decide to relinquish  the child who is still a minor and end the adoption consists of the following steps:

      1. Verification of the completeness of the documentation: 
            - Officials have been notified by the prospective adoptive parent(s) (who may be the adoptive father and/or mother of the child) that they wish to relinquish their parental rights;
            - Preliminary inquiries and details related to the relinquishment of the child for adoption are made within a one-day working period. Moreover, the Department of Children and Youth is the responsible agency.
      2.Considerations
            - Being compliant with legal procedures prior to engaging in the counselling process;
            - Planning to address and resolve issues and to develop the preliminary relationship, including offering counselling and advice, and finding ways and joint strategies;
            - The adoptive father and/or mother of the child, who wishes to relinquish his or her parental rights, will need to sign a confirmation letter and engage in the counselling process within 15 working days.
      3. Prior to terminating the adoption of a child who is still a minor, a consultation and treatment process will be conducted. The staff conducts an investigation to determine the factual basis for the problem with adopting the child, including the psychological and social conditions of the child. The problem is assessed by collaborating with the personnel to plan and provide counselling for the child and by inviting those individuals, who have consented to adopting the child, the adoptive parents, and any other relevant parties involved with the child, such as psychiatrists, and social workers.
      4. Signing and issuing a certification letter:
            - If the adoptive parents still wish to terminate the adoption, they must sign their names to confirm their intention after receiving the remedial counselling and treatment process;
            - The results of the evaluation meeting, conducted by the working team/staff members, are summarized;
            - The results of the operations are summarized and presented to the Director-General/Governor in order to issue a certification letter to request the de-registration of the adopted child or to submit an application to the court under Section 1598/31 of the Civil and Commercial Code for the termination of the adoption. The termination process takes 14 business days.

Data updated on March 23, 2023. 
Source: Digital Government Development Agency 
Tel. +66 2612 6060.