How to bring home your child in virtually no time - Immediate Placement!

Disclaimer- All the information in this blog is based on my knowledge and experience. Though I have tried to be as accurate as possible, there are chances that some information may be wrong or out-dated. Please refer to CARAs latest guidelines for accurate information

Long drawn process.This is the phrase that comes first to most of us when we think about adoption, and with good reason.

For most Prospective Adoptive Parents, the wait is anywhere between 18 months to 2 years from the date of registration. The time from registration to Home study is filled with getting the paper work ready, informing and preparing the family and such activities. Once the Home Study Report is uploaded, there is nothing the PAPs can do except wait for a referral. At least, this was true until CARA introduced the process of Immediate Placement. And hundreds of families have been united since, within a few months' time.

And, yes, we brought home our daughter through IP (an acronym to be used interchangeably for the term Immediate Placement) after a relatively short waiting period of 7 months (God knows it felt much longer than that!) Towards the end of the wait, we knew in our hearts that we were bound to meet our daughter soon, but our numbers would say otherwise. That was when CARA introduced the new process called Immediate Placement. Ours has been a beautiful journey so far!

In this blog, I will be talking about this exciting adoption pathway in as much detail and as much clarity as my toddler and my vocabulary will allow me!

What is Immediate Placement? 

This is the option through which PAPs, whose home study has been approved, can reserve children immediately, repeat, immediately!

When will I get access to the Immediate Placement List?

As soon as the home study has been approved, PAPs can view their seniority. The link for the IP list is also provided on the same page

Which child is eligible for Immediate Placement?

The IP list has children who satisfy any of these criteria

1. Siblings. Under IP,siblings can only be reserved together.
2. The child has minor medical condition that are not major enough to classify the child under special needs
3. The child has been rejected by many parents
4. The child will cross over to the next age band within a few months and will presumably have a lesser chance of being adopted

Is my IP list pre-filtered for my criteria?

No. The IP list is the same for all registered PAPs. It shows children from all over India, available on IP, irrespective of the age and gender. So, the IP list that is available to you is basically the same that any other PAP can see.

Will I have access to the Medical Report of the child?

Yes, the Medical Report and the report from the Social Worker will be made available, just as in the case of a normal referral. PAPs can reserve the child based on the information available. Feel free to consult a local pediatrician before reserving the child.

If I reserve a child on IP, and then reject the child, will it impact my seniority?

No. The PAP's seniority remains unchanged if they reject a child on the IP list

Once I reserve a child through IP, what should I do?

PAPs should get in touch with the agency and make plans to meet the child. From here on, the process is exactly the same as a normal referral

How often should I check the IP list?

The children on the IP list are reserved almost immediately as they come up. If you really are keen about bringing home your child through IP, then you need to keep looking at the list. Towards the end of my wait, I used to keep refreshing the list every 30 minutes.

Good luck!