Family Minister Michael Falzon, today announced the launch of a consultation document about the national standards on child adoption process, in which the minister assured that the government was dedicated in assisting, in what can be a very difficult process for couples.

The minister also said that, a maximum grant of €10,000, would be made accessible for couples who would like to adopt a child, including the refund of travel expenses.

The director for social welfare standards Carmen Buttigieg spoke about the new standards being proposed, which should help all people involved in the adoption process including the relevant agencies. In particular that fact that all adoption-related services would be of a high-quality which will safeguarded the wellbeing of all those involved, particularly the children being adopted, even through post-adoption reports and tracing.

The new standards will be beneficial for both: children and adults going through the adoption process, family members related to the child being adopted ,prospective adoptive parents and agencies offering services linked to the adoption process.

The six-week consultation process ends on November 3. The consultation document is going to be accessible from the Family Ministry's website.

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