The Social Care Standards Authority has launched the first set of social standards aimed at ensuring children's rights, which would also be of guidance for accredited adoption agencies and prospective parents wanting to adopt.

Family Minister Michael Falzon said that the authority will regulate these services to ensure the best possible standards, in order to improve the quality of service offered to prospective parents.

Aside from dealing with children's rights, these standards are also based on principles regarding preparation and support for prospective parents and support for biological families.

The minister described this sector as delicate.

He also stressed the commitment, both on a personal and government level, for there to be continuous support in this sector. He said that 2017 was a record year with regards to adoptions, and said that 2018 is also seeing good results where, between January and September, there were a total of 38 adoptions (34 from India and four from Slovakia).  He also said that an agreement has been signed with Bulgaria so that adoptions could also be handled from there.