New families for eight abandoned children

SHARJAH // Twenty one Emirati families applied to adopt abandoned or deprived children from the Sharjah Child Care Centre this month.

The applications were considered at a meeting chaired by Sheikh Saqar bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and director of the Sharjah Medical Zone, at the Sharjah Courts on Monday.

It was agreed that only eight families met all the requirements necessary for adoption, while three were forwarded to the next meeting for further discussion.

A police spokesman said all the approved applicants would take children from the centre.

"An application has to be matched with a suitable child," he said. "There are instances when an application is approved and it takes some time to get the child if there are no right matches at the time."

Sharjah has strict rules for adoption. A potential family must be Emirati and have a financially stable home life, be free of diseases such as HIV/Aids, and must submit a police report of good conduct.

All applications are considered by senior officials from Sharjah Police, the department of social services, Sharjah Courts and Sharjah Medical Zone.