New EGP 20,000 Fine for Returning a Sponsored Child to State Care

The Ministry of Social Solidarity has introduced a new policy imposing a fine of EGP 20,000 on families who return a sponsored child to a state-run care home. The measure, overseen by the Supreme Committee for Sponsored Alternative Families, is intended to reinforce the seriousness of foster care commitments, and deter casual or impulsive reversals.

According to Alaa Abdul-Ati, Director General of the Directorate of Family and Institutional Welfare at the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the policy reflects a broader drive to create long-term stability for vulnerable children. While the ministry acknowledges that some returns may be unavoidable due to unforeseen family circumstances, the fine aims to reduce cases where children are returned for non-critical reasons.

The Egyptian sponsorship system allows families to foster children who cannot be formally adopted due to Islamic legal restrictions. Unlike adoption, sponsorship preserves the child’s original lineage while placing them in a home environment. The new fine serves to emphasise that sponsorship is a serious legal and ethical commitment, not a temporary arrangement.

Abdul-Ati added that the ministry closely monitors care homes and sponsored family placements to protect children from exploitation or neglect. Facilities and foster families are expected to follow the guidelines of Egypt’s Child Law and Ministerial Decree No. 188 of 2014, which include strict standards on health, education, and psychosocial care.