Abu Dhabi has launched a drive to help Emirati families adopt young children in an effort to provide a vital lifeline to those left without parental care.
The emirate's Department of Community Development outlined wide-ranging plans to streamline the adoption process, with an emphasis placed on supporting children aged 2 and over and those with disabilities.
The strategy was announced during a panel discussion on Tuesday, which coincided with the annual International Adoption Day.
During the talks, Emirati women who adopted children shared their experiences and emphasised the importance of offering a loving home to those in need.
“Our wise leadership has been keen to provide full support to children deprived of parental care, to find the best ways to enable them to fully integrate into the family and society in a safe and stable home environment, and to ensure the fulfilment of the department's aspirations to establish an integrated, cohesive and inclusive society for its various beneficiaries,” said Dr Bushra Al Mulla, executive director of the department's Community Development Sector.
Authorities are stepping up efforts to protect the family unit and forge a more inclusive society.
President Sheikh Khalifa, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, issued a law in September to establish the Family Care Authority.
It will aim to assess the needs of families in the capital and provide services to improve their quality of life.
Members of the authority will undertake research into family care and propose legislation aimed at bolstering family care services.
“Based on DCD’s mandate and following the announcement of the establishment of the Family Care Authority, an integrated system will be developed according to best international practices and standards to organise the process of adopting children of different ages deprived of parental care,” Dr Al Mulla said.
This will be done by providing "the necessary support to Emirati families for adopting them, especially children of determination and those aged 2 years and above", she said.
The new adoption model will provide a key support network to prospective parents, helping to grant temporary guardianship of children before formal adoption.
The organisation will continue to assist people in adapting to a new family setting once adoption is approved.
Peer-to-peer support groups will be set up to allow potential foster parents to meet other families who have been through the adoption process.
Programmes will also be established to help prepare Emirati families for the challenges ahead.
The DCD said the new policies were part of a wider effort to improve quality of life for all sections of society.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
HWJN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Yasir%20Alyasiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Baraa%20Alem%2C%20Nour%20Alkhadra%2C%20Alanoud%20Saud%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Barcelona 5 (Lenglet 2', Vidal 29', Messi 34', 75', Suarez 77')
Valladolid 1 (Kiko 15')
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
