Archive · 22 Sep 2025
India: Adoption of Special Needs Children Lagging
In India, many kids need new families.
Most waiting for adoption have special needs.
Even though many more children are getting adopted overall, children with special needs are not.
The government wants to help more families adopt these children.
In 2024, there were more children available for adoption, more adoption agencies and helpers, and more foster care programs.
The adoption system is changing to find homes for all kids in need.
Nearly two-thirds of children waiting for adoption have special needs.
Overall adoptions in 2024-25 reached 4,515, the highest since 2015-16.
In 2024-25, 328 children with special needs were adopted.
CARA established an Identification Cell following a Supreme Court directive.
CARA is holding awareness campaigns to promote adoption of special needs children.
- Who
- Union Women and Child Development Ministry (WCD) and CARA
- What
- Adoption trends in India, with a focus on children with special needs.
- When
- Data from 2024 and 2024-2025.
- Where
- India
- Why
- To highlight the adoption landscape, including challenges and progress in placing children, especially those with special needs, into permanent families.
- Children legally free for adoption in 2024
- 3,684
- Children with special needs awaiting adoption
- 65% (of those available)
- Total adoptions in 2024-25
- 4,515
- Adoptions with special needs children in 2024-25
- 328
- Specialized adoption agencies
- 698
- Child Welfare Committees
- 665
