€10,000 in assistance to be given to families who adopt

Families who are looking to adopt will benefit from up to €10,000, Minister for Family Affairs Michael Falzon announced today.

Families who travel to adopt will also be partially refunded for their travelling expenses, the minister said during the launch of a public consultation on standards of adoption.

33 children were adopted this year alone and a further 31 children were matched to prospective parents.

"The situation is inherently complex and it’s important to address the exasperation of agencies and of couples who wish to adopt," Falzon said.

"We will continue to liaise with other countries and heads of state with caution to keep the wellbeing of children - our primary concern- in mind," he continued.

Children are often adopted from Slovakia, Portugal, Albania and India, amongst other countries.

Most cases of adoption are inter-country, incurring greater costs for families and lengthening the adoption process.

Inter-country adoptions requires the co-operation of both countries, both with regards to laws and court procedures, adding significant “difficulties, [which] we are committed to facilitate.”

The Maltese Central Authority is also involved in on-going efforts to facilitate and increase adoptions from both European Union countries as well as third countries.

The public consultation on adoption will last six weeks and can be accessed here.