26 林志蔚（盛港集选区议员）副教授向社会及家庭发展部长询问：禁止老年夫妇收养成年子女的理由是什么，尤其是收养前一段婚姻中的继子女？

马善高（社会及家庭发展部长）先生：收养是一个法律程序，在这个程序中，受信赖的成年人成为孩子的合法父母，为孩子的最大利益和福祉做出重要决定。受信赖的成年人必须致力于履行父母的所有职责、义务和责任。这包括为孩子的日常护理、教育和抚养做出决定。

这种法律安排是必要的，因为我们认识到孩子往往缺乏做出重大决定或独立照顾自己所必需的成熟度或生活经验。随着孩子长大成人，他们自然而然地获得了为自己做决定的能力。在这个阶段，让一个值得信赖的成年人为他们做决定的需要就变得不再重要了。因此，孩子成年后，收养的法律程序不再适用。

因此，《儿童收养法》明确规定，法院只能对 21 岁以下的个人下达收养令。

REASON FOR PROHIBITING ADOPTION OF ADULT CHILDREN BY OLDER COUPLES

26 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what is the reason for prohibiting the adoption of adult children by an older couple, especially in the case of stepchildren from an earlier marriage.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Adoption is a legal process where trusted adults become the legal parents of a child, to make crucial decisions in the best interests of the child and the child's welfare. The trusted adults have to be committed to fulfilling all duties, obligations and responsibilities of a parent. This includes making decisions for the child's day-to-day care, education and maintenance. 

This legal arrangement is necessary because we recognise that the child often lacks the maturity or life experience necessary to make significant decisions or care for themselves independently. As the child matures into adulthood, they naturally gain the capacity to make decisions for themselves. At this stage, the need to have a trusted adult to make decisions on their behalf loses its relevance. Consequently, the legal process of adoption no longer applies after the child achieves adulthood.

Accordingly, the Adoption of Children Act makes clear that the Court may only make adoption orders in respect of an individual below the age of 21 years.