Adopting a child in Malta is often viewed as an overly complex and frustrating process, yet professionals working within the system insist that its length and strictness are driven not by red tape, but by the responsibility to protect children and address trauma.
In an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday, Laura Fenech, Service manager for Adoption Services at the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), explained that adoption in Malta has evolved into a firmly child-centred process, influenced by international safeguards and a growing emphasis on keeping children within their biological families wherever possible.
FSWS Adoption Service supports individuals and families at every stage of the adoption journey – from those initially exploring the idea of adoption, to prospective parents undergoing assessment, and to families who have already adopted and continue to require long-term support.
Central to this work is mandatory Adoption Training, designed to prepare families for the realities of adoption rather than idealised expectations. Training sessions provide information about children’s needs, the role and rights of biological parents, inter-country adoption frameworks and, crucially, the impact of trauma on children’s development and behaviour.
Once individuals or couples decide to proceed, they are allocated a dedicated social worker who accompanies them throughout the assessment process. This includes home visits, individual and joint interviews, psychological assessments, medical checks and reference verifications, Fenech said.
A detailed home study report is then compiled and submitted to the Adoption Board for approval. Throughout this process, FSWS works in close collaboration with other services, guided by what it considers a fundamental principle: every child has the right to grow up in a safe, stable and loving family, and adoption must always be pursued in the child’s best interests.
The last available figures from FSWS illustrate the extent of adoption-related work carried out in 2024. Between January and December, the Adoption Service worked with 656 cases involving 648 individuals, including prospective adoptive parents, adoptive parents, adopted children and referred children. By the end of December 2024, there was no waiting list for prospective adoptive parents, as individuals who contact the service are immediately allocated a social worker to guide and support them through the process. During that year, 111 new cases were opened, alongside 18 recontacts, 496 known cases and 31 intakes.
The largest category of cases involved prospective adoptive parents, accounting for 457 of the total. Adopted children made up 165 cases, while 24 cases involved adoptive parents and 10 involved referred children. According to Fenech, this breakdown highlights that adoption services extend far beyond the moment a child is placed, encompassing years of preparation, assessment and post-adoption support.
Age data further sheds light on who engages with adoption services. In 2024, individuals aged between 40 and 59 represented the largest group, accounting for 43% of cases. Those aged 18 to 39 made up 31%, while children under 17 accounted for 23%. Only 3% of cases involved individuals over 60. Fenech attributed this trend largely to prolonged fertility journeys, noting that many couples turn to adoption later in life after years of undergoing IVF or other fertility treatments.
In terms of nationality, 85% of cases in 2024 involved Maltese nationals, while 15% involved non-Maltese individuals. While adoption services are available to both Maltese and non-Maltese residents, eligibility and timelines can vary significantly in cases of inter-country adoption, which are governed by international regulations and bilateral agreements.
One of the most persistent misconceptions, Fenech said, is that local adoption is more difficult than adopting from abroad. In reality, both processes are demanding for different reasons. Locally, Malta has very few babies or toddlers legally freed for adoption. Children in care are first subject to lengthy legal processes, including care orders and sustained efforts at family rehabilitation and reunification. Adoption is only considered when all other options have been exhausted, and most children freed for adoption are older and may have spent years in care.
Inter-country adoption, while sometimes perceived as faster, involves additional layers of scrutiny. Malta is a signatory to the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, which exists to prevent child trafficking and ensure ethical practices. The Central Authority regulates all inter-country adoptions, and even when a family is approved in Malta, the final decision rests with the child’s country of origin, which selects adoptive parents based on the specific needs of the child rather than application order. Furthermore, international adaptions have seen a drastic decline in recent years since it is more beneficial for children to be adopted in their birth country and thus international adoptions are a last resort.
A major focus of FSWS training and ongoing support is trauma-informed parenting. Many adopted children have experienced neglect, prenatal stress, institutional care or multiple placements, all of which can affect attachment, emotional regulation and behaviour. Fenech emphasised that love and stability, while essential, do not erase trauma. She also challenged the assumption that adopted children should feel grateful, stressing that children have a right to a family and that adoption always involves loss – of biological ties, culture or early identity.
Support from FSWS does not end once an adoption is finalised. Social workers within the adoption team continue to offer assistance to families, including information-sharing, therapeutic support for adopted and biological children, parenting guidance and family therapy. This long-term involvement recognises that challenges may arise well after placement, as families adjust and children grow.
Fenech also cautioned against viewing fostering as a route to adoption. Fostering, she explained, is primarily aimed at supporting children and their families with the goal of reunification. Entering fostering with the intention to adopt can create emotional harm and unrealistic expectations, even though foster carers may, in certain circumstances, apply to adopt after several years.
Ultimately, Fenech said adoption requires emotional readiness, resilience and honesty. She urged prospective adoptive parents to process grief related to infertility or loss, to seek professional support where needed and to ensure that both partners are fully committed to the journey ahead. Adoption, she stressed, should not be seen as a solution to loss or as a defining identity, but as a long-term commitment to meeting a child’s complex needs.
As FSWS figures for 2024 demonstrate, adoption in Malta is not constrained by a lack of willing families, but by the realities of child protection and trauma-informed practice. While this may make the process slower and more demanding, those working within the system argue that this careful approach is essential – because at the centre of every adoption is not an application, but a child.