[WATCH] Foster children could be adopted after five years under proposed law

Family Minister on the national adoption strategy

The period of time a child has to be in foster care before being open to be adopted will be reduced from 10 to five years under a new law regulating the sector which is expected to come into force later this year.

In exceptional cases, the adoptions authority could also authorise an adoption of a fostered child before the lapse of the five year period, Family Minister Michael Falzon said on Monday.

Falzon was speaking at the launch of the national adoption strategy, work on the implementation of which will be starting in the coming weeks.

The strategy will be incorporated within the new Bill for the alternative care of minors, which will today be entering its committee stage in Parliament, Falzon said. 

He said the goal was for the Bill's second and third reading to be completed before Parliament rises for summer recess, with it being planned to come into effect later this year once the House reconvenes.

"Adoption is a hot subject, mainly because it deals with people," Falzon said, "It is not easy to legislate and devise strategies and policies which deal with such an emotional and complex subject. The laws devised in this area will decide on people's future."

Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon

The minister said that Malta was increasingly looking at Portugal, Slovakia and India when it comes to inter-country adoptions, with India being preferred since it allows for the adoption of younger children.

He said, however, that he was hopeful that local adoptions would be increasing in number.

Throughout all the work being done on the adoption strategy, the interest of the child remained the most important principle, Falzon underlined. 

Social Care Standards Authority CEO Matthew Vella said the aim behind the adoption strategy was to reduce bureaucracy and strengthen the rules, while keeping the child's best interest at its heart.

The strategy, he highlighted, cover three main pillars: the interest of the child; the training of professionals in the sector together with the necessary reforms which have to be put in place; and the integration of the required systems and procedures so as to simplify them while still respecting all the rules.

From the strategy eminate 25 measures, for which a clear plan exists on how they will be implemented, he said.

Vella said two new committees would be set up next week which would be working on implementing the strategy and its measures.  "The strategy has been made public in the interest of accountability. There is also a plan in place for monitoring the strategy," he said.

An important aspect of the strategy he elaborted, is the putting in place of procedures which respect to the "search of origin" aspect of adoptions, which is when adopted children ask where they came from. "Procedures are going to be put in place on how to address this collectively," Vella underscored.

The training of prospective adoptive parents and the use of an evidenced-based approach in the work of the adoptions' authority, agency and professionals are also covered in the strategy.