UAE: Most fostered children are under 2; what to do if you find unidentified kid

Approximately 90 to 95 per cent of fostering cases in the UAE in the past decade have involved children under two years old. This is the preferred nursing practice that is part of the Foster Care Program launched by the Community Development Authority (CDA) Dubai.

The reason for fostering children preferably under two years old is explained in Islamic law. Dr Abdulaziz Al-Hamadi, director of the Family Cohesion Department at CDA, explained to Khaleej Times: “If a woman breastfeeds a child who is under two years old – although not her own – she becomes the baby's foster mother. As a result, her biological children are considered the baby's blood relatives and are prohibited from marrying the suckled child.”

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Mothers are advised to breastfeed their fostered child. “In the case of a single mother, she can take medications for milk production and breastfeed the child,” he added.

Adoption, in its legal form, is prohibited in Islam. However, Islam allows people to provide needy children with protection and financial support. Any parent can give parental care and affection to a child without granting them any legal obligations, such as inheritance, as with fostering.

The main difference between fostering and adoption is that fostering is often temporary (lasting a few days to several years), while adoption is typically permanent. The holy Quran specifically reminds adoptive parents that they are not the child's biological parents, and also gives specific rules about the legal relationship between a child and his/her adoptive family.

CDA’s ‘Foster A Child’ programme provides children lacking social care – those from unknown parentage – suitable care and family belongingness. It allows them to live in a typical family environment. It was launched in 2013, enabling families to foster a child, and raise them sustainably in a healthy social upbringing.

Here are the guidelines to know more about fostering children in the UAE:

Naming

In Islamic law, fostered children cannot carry the name of the fostering parents. The authority chooses a random four-part name for the child without suggesting they are of unknown parentage or carrying any insult. The name must be common in Emirati society. The parents can choose the first name if the child is newly born and fostered, as most fostered children are under two years of age.

"Fostering ends in two cases: either upon proving parentage and the emergence of a biological parent or when the child reaches age 21," noted Al-Hamadi.

Eligibility

Dr Al-Hamadi highlighted that the Foster A Child service targets Muslim Emirati families of couples willing to foster a child, provided they meet certain conditions:

The family must also be free of infectious diseases, psychological issues, and mental disorders, possess no criminal record, and have an average to excellent financial situation.

"The age criteria were established to ensure that families are ready to foster a child, are capable of responsibility and that the woman is in good health to care for the child," Al-Hamadi underscored.

Foster care process

The process starts with families applying for the service. They are placed on a waiting list and provided with training and rehabilitation programmes. These programmes prepare families psychologically and equip them to raise a child, including psychological, educational, and legal awareness.

The registration process typically takes about 15 days. If a child is available, they can be placed with the foster family within two days.

Al-Hamadi noted: "There are waiting lists for fostering, with a limited number of available children, occasionally leading to the closure of registration."

“Fostering is a voluntary act based on desire; therefore, some families may specify the child's characteristics. They justify this by stating their wish to avoid raising societal questions regarding the differences between the parents and the child, thus minimising embarrassment for the child,” he added.

He also noted that "specifying personal traits may prolong the process due to restrictions that the available children may not meet for fostering.”

Social workers conduct periodic field visits to the family to ensure the well-being of the foster child. At least six visits should be made for children under four years old and four visits for those over four. The case of returning a foster child is almost nonexistent.

Disclosure policy

Al-Hamadi emphasised the importance of a structured disclosure policy for foster children.

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