'Opens door of hope': Expats say new UAE fostering law gives children chance of loving home

A landmark ruling allowing non-Emirati couples and single women to foster children in the UAE for the first time has been hailed as a crucial pathway to welcoming more children into loving homes.

Expatriate couples in the Emirates welcomed the significant update to UAE law, which they say will prioritise the child’s welfare and expand the number of families able to provide a stable, nurturing environment for those in need.

Fostering children had previously been limited to Emirati Muslim married couples and Emirati Muslim women between the ages of 30 and 50.

The amendment means any married couple, both of whom are over 25, can apply to foster a child, regardless of nationality or religion. Women over 30 can also apply to become foster parents, with no upper age limit.

“This law is crucial because it opens a door of hope for couples like us who face medical challenges in having children,” Mark Ustare, 40, an Abu Dhabi resident told The National.

The Filipino and his wife Sally live in the UAE with their biological son, seven, and adopted son, 16, and have known the pain and loss of a miscarriage.

“My wife has a heart condition, which makes pregnancy extremely difficult and risky," he said. "Fostering would allow us to share the love we have for children and to expand our family in a meaningful and safe way.

"It also gives children the opportunity to experience the nurturing, stability and affection that come from being part of a loving home.”

Children the priority

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