Central Adoption Resource Authority
The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a Government of India statutory body that regulates all in-country and inter-country adoptions and operates the CARINGS digital portal, serving Prospective Adoptive Parents, Specialised Adoption Agencies, and state and district child protection units across India.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Central Adoption Resource Authority does
The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of the Government of India constituted under Section 68 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, functioning under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It is the sole national regulator of in-country and inter-country adoption and serves as India's Central Authority under the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Inter-country Adoption. Its operational remit covers promotion of in-country adoption, facilitation of inter-state adoption, regulation of inter-country adoption, framing adoption regulations, maintaining a centralized database of adoptable children and prospective adoptive parents, and conducting training and capacity-building for adoption stakeholders.
CARA's core technology platform is CARINGS (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System), a web-based portal that enables online registration of Prospective Adoptive Parents, management of child study reports and medical examination records, automated referral cycles executed five days per week, and post-adoption follow-up tracking. The portal is supported by a complementary mobile application used by District Magistrates, Chief Medical Officers, and inter-country adoption handlers under HAMA. Distribution is delivered through a three-tier institutional network: Specialized Adoption Agencies at district level, State Adoption Resource Agencies at state level, and District Child Protection Units, supplemented by Authorised Foreign Adoption Agencies and Indian Diplomatic Missions for cross-border cases. The organization also operates a toll-free helpline (1800-11-1311), publishes quarterly bilingual newsletters, and maintains active social media channels for adoption awareness.
CARA does not generate commercial revenue. As a government statutory body it is funded through budget allocations from the central government, with adoption-related fees prescribed under Schedule-13 of the Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children (2015) accruing to Specialized Adoption Agencies rather than to CARA itself. Its customer base comprises three primary Prospective Adoptive Parent segments — Resident Indians, NRIs/OCIs, and foreign nationals — alongside institutional stakeholders (SAAs, SARAs, DCPUs, Child Welfare Committees). CARA facilitated 5,022 total adoptions in FY2025-26 (up from 3,441 in FY2022-23), indicating sustained growth in service throughput under its regulatory framework.
Central Adoption Resource Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Central Adoption Resource Authority
- Legal name
- Central Adoption Resource Authority
- Website
- https://cara.wcd.gov.in
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a Government of India statutory body that regulates all in-country and inter-country adoptions and operates the CARINGS digital portal, serving Prospective Adoptive Parents, Specialised Adoption Agencies, and state and district child protection units across India.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Central Adoption Resource Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Child Adoption Regulation and Coordination Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Child Rights & Protection (BPADAGAG)
Keywords
Where Central Adoption Resource Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Central Adoption Resource Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Central Adoption Resource Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) regulates and oversees all in-country and inter-country adoptions in India under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. It operates the CARINGS digital portal for registration of prospective adoptive parents, child referral management, home study tracking, and post-adoption follow-up, and acts as the Central Authority under the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption. Adoption services are delivered through a regulated network of Specialised Adoption Agencies, State Adoption Resource Agencies, and District Child Protection Units.
Product overview
CARA operates primarily through its digital platform CARINGS (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System), which serves as the centralized management system for all adoption-related activities in India. The platform enables online registration of prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), management of adoptable children data, automated referral cycles, tracking of adoption status, and coordination among multiple stakeholders including Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAAs), State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARAs), District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), and adoptive families. CARA also provides ancillary services including a toll-free helpline (1800-11-1311), training programs, guidelines, and protocols for adoption procedures.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CARINGS: Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System - an online portal for registration, tracking, and management of adoption processes in India.
Products and services
- CARINGS (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System)
- CARINGS Mobile Application
- In-Country Adoption Services
- Inter-Country Adoption Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 5,000 adoptions facilitated annually through CARINGS portal
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Central Adoption Resource Authority
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Central Adoption Resource Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Central Adoption Resource Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Central Adoption Resource Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Adoption Authority of Ireland: Ireland's statutory national adoption authority established under the Adoption Act 2010, responsible for regulating domestic and inter-country adoptions. Comparable to CARA as a national-level statutory adoption regulator.
- UK Department for Education - Intercountry Adoption: Acts as the UK's Central Authority under the Hague Convention. Performs a comparable regulatory and coordination function to CARA for inter-country adoption, though under UK statutory and policy frameworks.
- Central Authority Germany (Bundesamt für Justiz): Germany's federal Central Authority for inter-country adoption under the Hague Convention. Comparable in regulatory scope and Central Authority functions to CARA, though operating within the German federal structure.
- U.S. Department of State - Office of Children's Issues: Serves as the United States' Central Authority under the Hague Adoption Convention, with parallel responsibilities for regulating inter-country adoptions and maintaining accredited adoption service providers. Comparable to CARA in statutory function but operating in a different geography.
Others
- National Council for Adoption: US-based nonprofit advocacy organization focused on adoption policy, research, and education. Adjacent to CARA in promoting adoption awareness and policy, though it operates as an advocacy body rather than a regulator.
Direct peers
- Hague Conference on Private International Law: The international intergovernmental organization that administers the Hague Adoption Convention. CARA serves as India's designated Central Authority under this Convention, making HCCH the directly comparable peer for CARA's inter-country adoption regulatory function.
Broad incumbents
- AdoptUSKids: A US government-funded national adoption information service operated as a project of the Children's Bureau. Comparable to CARA in being a public-sector adoption resource hub, though it focuses on US foster care adoption rather than regulatory authority.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Central Adoption Resource Authority social profiles
Digital presenceCentral Adoption Resource Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Central Adoption Resource Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Central Adoption Resource Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Central Adoption Resource Authority M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Central Adoption Resource Authority
What does Central Adoption Resource Authority do?
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) regulates and oversees all in-country and inter-country adoptions in India under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. It operates the CARINGS digital portal for registration of prospective adoptive parents, child referral management, home study tracking, and post-adoption follow-up, and acts as the Central Authority under the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption. Adoption services are delivered through a regulated network of Specialised Adoption Agencies, State Adoption Resource Agencies, and District Child Protection Units.
Is Central Adoption Resource Authority a public or private company?
Central Adoption Resource Authority is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Central Adoption Resource Authority founded?
Central Adoption Resource Authority was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Central Adoption Resource Authority based?
Central Adoption Resource Authority is headquartered in New Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
Who are Central Adoption Resource Authority's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Adoption Authority of Ireland, UK Department for Education - Intercountry Adoption, Central Authority Germany (Bundesamt für Justiz) and U.S. Department of State - Office of Children's Issues. National Council for Adoption is listed as an others. Hague Conference on Private International Law is listed as a direct peer. AdoptUSKids is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Central Adoption Resource Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for Central Adoption Resource Authority.
What industry is Central Adoption Resource Authority in?
Central Adoption Resource Authority's product category is Child Adoption Regulation and Coordination Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAE, Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of BPAGABAG, Child Protection & Child Rights. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.