Many residents want to adopt a baby abandoned in a nasi uduk cart, shelter says: a lengthy process
JAKARTA — The Tunas Bangsa Shelter for Early Childhood Care (PSAA) in Cipayung, East Jakarta, has stressed that the process of adopting a baby cannot be completed quickly because it must pass through a series of assessments and legal procedures.
This was stated by Rida Mufrida, head of PSAA Tunas Bangsa Cipayung, in response to many people expressing a desire to adopt the baby initials AR.
The baby was previously found abandoned in a nasi uduk cart in the Pasar Minggu area of South Jakarta.
According to Rida, guardianship of a child, particularly in cases of abandoned children, must go through the court process first.
She explained that would-be adoptive parents must also meet a number of administrative and social requirements. One of them is a minimum marriage duration of five years and either no children or only one child.
These provisions refer to the Ministry of Social Affairs Regulation (Permensos) No. 110 of 2009 and the Jakarta Governor Regulation (Pergub) No. 14 of 2021 on child guardianship.
In addition, prospective adoptive parents must undergo psychological assessments and be assessed as having adequate financial capacity to care for a child.
“Definitely (the assessment), because there is a process whereby the prospective adoptive parents who will adopt a child at this shelter must come to the shelter to participate in the assessment, also by a social worker; a note will be made that they have attended four times, after that the process will proceed,” she said.
Furthermore, prospective adoptive parents must not have a criminal record. Therefore, they are required to attach a Police Clearance Certificate (SKCK) issued by the police at the regional level (Polda).
Rida stressed that to date there has been no official adoption application for AR.
“No, because it is still new, and we at the Social Service are here to provide care and protection for this baby. So AR’s health still needs to be improved,” she said.
She also emphasised that the adoption process cannot be carried out directly because it must await a court decision establishing the child’s status as an abandoned child.
“Not automatically that he will be adopted straight away, no. Wait for the court ruling first. And that court ruling could take about four to five months. A lengthy process,” she added.