Understanding the benefits of Adopting a Child

Yakubu, now in his teen was adopted by his foster parents when he was barely a year old. He has brought so much joy to the family that adopted him after their two children had graduated and left the shores of the country. They decided to adopt a child that they can impact positively on […]

Yakubu, now in his teen was adopted by his foster parents when he was barely a year old. He has brought so much joy to the family that adopted him after their two children had graduated and left the shores of the country.

They decided to adopt a child that they can impact positively on and that led them to a home where legal adoption process was concluded.

Yakubu, who sees his foster parents as his biological parents, is doing fine even in his academics as he attends one of the best schools around.

His older siblings also show him much love anytime he travels with their parents on holidays.

Adoption is the assumption of full legal and parental responsibility for a child. It is a commitment for life.

Under the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, adoption is recognised as one of the forms of alternative care for children who have been temporarily or permanently deprived of their family environment, and also for children who are unable to remain in their family environment.

In Nigeria, adoption may be effected either under statutory law or customary law. But the rules regulating it differ from state to state.

It is one of the most life-transforming experiences that can happen to a child and their adoptive parents. The government office responsible for adoption in Nigeria is the civil court.

Nelson Law Firm defines adoption as a life-changing experience that can have an incredible impact on everyone involved in the process. Not only can it benefit the adoptive parents, who have often tried for years to add to their families, but also the birth parents and, most importantly, the adopted child.

A parenting educator and family life practitioner, Toyin Ogunkanmi said,  adoption is a good and honourable way of helping and impacting humanity adding that ways of having children is not only by biological conception.

“We have seen cases of people who have given birth to children without the necessary skills to parenting the children and are not ready to learn.

“We have also seen cases of couples who were waiting on God for children and have gone ahead to adopt one. The care and love they shower on their children is next to none.”

She said, there are great benefits  for both the adopted child and the  adoptive parents. Amongst which is that the child will have  a better future where there is love,care and support. The child grows up happy, healthy and emotionally stable.

Rainbow Kids Adoption and Child Welfare Advocacy gives some benefits of child adoption.

Love: Every child is entitled to a loving family for the entirety of life.

When you choose to adopt, you are choosing to emotionally bond yourself with love to a child and he/her to you, which has positive effects for both.

Education: A child also deserves that chance for a great education and an opportunity to reach whatever goal they set Social Relationships: