ABU DHABI // Eight abandoned newborns are now safe in the arms of loving families under a child fostering programme.
The Embrace programme, which was launched last year, enables Emirati families to foster homeless children and is run by Dubai’s Community Development Authority.
The babies are given Emirati citizenship when fostered by the family, said Dr Huda Al Suwaidi, family development director at the authority.
“Each family is allowed to have one child only,” Dr Al Suwaidi said.
“We have studied almost 25 families and they are eligible for fostering whenever we have children, and if we have them.
“Those children are abandoned by their families. It is not their fault that they were thrown into the street with no one to take care of them.
“We want these children to become nationals so we need an Emirati family to take care of them, raise them to be good citizens of the UAE and make sure they have a proper education and nourishment.”
Police are called when abandoned babies are found, then the infants are taken to hospital for a check-up.
“Someone from my team, a social worker, will check the status of the child, take pictures and make sure the child is in safe hands,” she said.
“He stays there for a couple of days in which they check his health to see if he is suffering from any disease, any infections, and treat him if he is not feeling well.”
Dr Al Suwaidi said the children were often left out in the sun for many hours before they were found. She said they were usually kept at the hospital for between three days and two weeks.
After a child’s health improves they are taken to the authority’s family villa and Embrace officials try to find a suitable family.
Parents who wish to foster must be Emirati and aged over 25. Single mothers over the age of 30 can also foster.
“Of course, the parents’ mental status should be stable, as well as their financial and social status,” Dr Al Suwaidi said. “And all this should be submitted in writing by the authorities to make them eligible for fostering.”
A thorough social-mental study of the families is conducted to ensure the child’s safety. The parents are also sent for psychiatric evaluation.
“So many factors contribute to which personality is fit for parenting,” Dr Al Suwaidi said.
The higher committee that chooses the families prefers to have a breastfeeding mother for the baby.
“We encourage breastfeeding in the family, especially if it’s a boy,” she said.
In Islam, which Dr Al Suwaidi said encouraged caring for needy children, when a woman breastfeeds a male baby he becomes her son.
When a suitable family is chosen they go on to a waiting list until a baby becomes available.
The committee will then introduce the baby to the parents and see if they are able to fulfil the child’s needs.
A weekly follow-up is conducted in the first three months. Afterwards, the follow-ups are held monthly, then twice a year.
Medical conditions, educational statuses and consistent health are all checked by the committee.
“If the parents require any assistance or advice we help them,” said Dr Al Suwaidi.
For more information, visit the Community Development Authority website.
aalkhoori@thenational.ae
