[WATCH] 54 children adopted from overseas last year, Family Minister says

Children at the forefront of national adoption strategy

India was the country from where Maltese parents adopted most children last year, figures unveiled today show.

There were 54 children adopted from overseas last year, with 38 coming from India, Family Minister Michael Falzon said on Tuesday as he unveiled the national strategy on child adoption. The strategy is out for public consultation.

Falzon said there were 38 adoptions from India, seven from Portugal, eight from Slovakia and one from Thailand in 2018.

He said out that the government was doing its best to facilitate the adoption process, including efforts to alleviate the financial burden with a €10,000 grant.

“This strategy will lead to a reduction in the waiting period for local adoptions, for children and prospective adoptive parents, when it is feasible,” he said.  

Matthew Vella, CEO of the Social Care Standards Authority, said the new strategy would encourage dialogue and cooperation to ensure high-quality service in the child adoption sector.

“This national strategy will help to ensure that during the adoption proceedings, children are actively participating and that their opinions are sought and that all stake holders are working in unity to provide the best outcome for the child,” he said.

Key elements of the strategy include:

• A pathway will be created for fostered children deemed adoptable and who have been in the foster care system for an extended period, to be adopted by their foster carers
• Allow a simplified and robust pathway for fostered children and children in alternative care to be adopted without undue bureaucratic proceedings
• Promote professional development of adoption agencies and staff
• A research advisory group will undertake a study of all the steps in the adoption process to make recommendations on how to reduce adoption times without compromising the integrity of proceedings