‘Jordanians adopted over 1,100 children since 1969’

AMMAN — Since the implementation of the “adoption” programme by the Ministry of Social Development in 1969, Jordanian families have adopted more than 1,100 children in the Kingdom.

Annually, around 35 children of unknown identity are adopted by families who do not have children of their own, Fawaz Ratrout, the ministry’s spokesperson, said Monday.

“The demand is higher than the number of children we have in our care centres,” Ratrout told The Jordan Times, adding that the ministry annually receives up to 150 applications from families to adopt children.

Monitoring and evaluation teams from the ministry conduct regular visits to the families before and after the adoption to check if they are taking care of the adopted child, the spokesperson said.

Only two or three of the 1,100 children were returned to the care centre after adoption.

The programme is one of several care programmes implemented by the ministry that proved to be “successful”, according to Ratrout.

The other programmes, he added, entail providing services for those who spent a period of their lives at the ministry’s care centres.

The services, which 700 persons have benefited from so far, include helping them find jobs, housing, training and even with marriage costs, the spokesperson noted.

The ministry also covers the cost of housing 150 senior citizens, who do not have families, in private or charity care centres. 

In addition the National Aid Fund provides assistance for elderly people who live with their families, who constitute 32.9 per cent of its total beneficiaries.