Family in Dominica

Dominica has no single public office that handles every family matter. Family support is functionally fragmented between the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, the Social Welfare Division, the Director of Social Services, the Adoption Committee, courts, the Registrar General and Registrars, the Dominica Police Force, the Ministry of Labour, health centres and hospitals. Relatives, neighbours and community groups also remain practically relevant, especially for daily childcare, elder care and support for people with disabilities or serious dependency needs. Marriage registration follows procedures under the Marriage Act. A couple may use church banns and notice requirements or apply for a licence, including a Special Marriage License when banns are waived. An application for the special licence can be made through the Ministry of Labour on the third floor of Government Headquarters in Roseau or through eservices.gov.dm. Processing usually takes 2 to 3 working days. The published fee is EC$300 when both applicants meet the two-month residency condition, with an additional EC$200 when that condition is not met and an additional EC$204 for a weekend or public-holiday ceremony. The licence is valid for three months. Marriage certificates and other civil certificates, including birth, death and non-marriage certificates, can be requested through e-Services; a copy of a marriage certificate costs EC$20. Family planning and Family Life Education are available through the Health Promotion Resource Centre. Maternal and child health services are provided through health centres, Portsmouth Hospital, Marigot Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital. Exact eligibility rules, fees and waiting times are not consistently published, so the relevant facility should confirm them before an appointment or procedure. Adoption is administered through a formal process involving the Social Welfare Division, the Director of Social Services, the Adoption Committee and the court. The Social Welfare Division is the usual first contact at 19-21 King George V Street, Roseau, telephone 266 3080. The Children (Care and Adoption) Act 2023 provides the legal framework. The process can include a home study and a post-placement report. A prospective adoptive parent generally needs to be considered fit and proper, have no criminal record and show adequate means. The court application must normally be filed at least four weeks before the placement agreement ends, and the prospective parent is generally expected to have been resident in Dominica for at least one year. Inter-country adoption adds requirements concerning recommendation and recognition by the child's country of origin. Published adoption fees and processing times should be confirmed directly with the Social Welfare Division. Parents, guardians and people acting in the place of a parent have maintenance duties toward a child of the family under the Maintenance of Children Act 2023. The definition of a child generally covers someone under 18, and can extend to a person aged 18 or older with a serious illness or disability or to someone under 25 who is receiving education or training. An application may be made by a parent, by a child over 14 or by another person acting on the child's behalf. The statutory minimum weekly maintenance amount is EC$75, and support can cover care, health and education. Agreed arrangements and mediation are available as alternatives to a contested court process where they are suitable. Child protection rules require specified professionals and other listed people to report suspected abuse. This includes health practitioners, nurses, hospital administrators, school staff, childcare workers, police officers, clergy, welfare and probation staff, social workers, parents and legal guardians. A report should be made immediately to the Director of Social Services or the police, with a welfare officer involved in the response. The initial investigation can last up to seven days. A person who reports in good faith receives protection, and confidentiality applies to the report. The Domestic Violence Act 2023 gives the police power to arrest without a warrant in relevant circumstances. A person can ask the court for a protection order, and a parent, guardian or the Director of Social Services can apply for a child or dependent. An urgent application is possible outside court hours, and service of an interim order is free. Measures can restrict contact, provide emergency monetary relief, regulate access to a shared home and protect an address. Police may help with safety transport, shelter, contact with family or friends and access to medical care. The Director and the Department of Social Services can also provide counselling and support. The Yes We Care Programme offers home-care support as an alternative for elderly, infirm or housebound people. The Social Welfare Division and programme contacts can explain access, but current eligibility conditions, fees and processing times are not consistently published. Public estimates for 2025 and 2026 also identify social services and welfare, public assistance, child care and protection, adoption, elderly services, Yes We Care, CHANCES and probation services. Divorce, marital-property disputes and general civil-law proceedings follow separate legal processes rather than the family-support pathways described here.