No Adoption Offers For Handicapped Child

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30110, 19 April 1963, Page 10

No Adoption Offers For Handicapped Child

(New Zealand Press Association)

PALMERSTON N„ April 18 A chubby little Maori boy m Palmerston North wants a home. He is nine months old but remains unwanted because fewer couples want to adopt babies, and because he is slightly handicapped The little boy’s plight wa? just one of other similar cases in the district arising from a situation described by the district child welfare

officer (Mr N. W. Hancock) today as "becoming difficult."

He said there had been a long waiting list foi adoptions. but this no longer was so. A similar problem existed in Auckland and other parts of the North Island

Unfortunately. said Mr Hancock, even slightly-handi-capped children and children of mixed blood were suffering as a result of the situation.

Miss J L. Williams, a child welfare officer at Palmerston North, selected the case of the Maori boy as typical of the problem she was confronted with. Mr Hancock said that in 1961, there were 104 children adopted through the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court; in 1962. the total was 78 Foster homes were able to provide care for children for a few weeks at a time but legal adoption was another matter

Mr Hancock said he did not ’hink the qualifying conditions of fitness for parents to adopt children were too strict.

“The main qualification is a sound interest in children.” he said.