Source: CNA
A bill modernising adoption legislation was approved by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday. The aim of the bill, as Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Marilena Evangelou said after the Cabinet meeting, is to modernise the existing procedures for adoption, primarily serving the best interests of the child and the protection of the child's fundamental rights.
He said the bill revises the existing legislation, which dates back to 1995, with its replacement deemed necessary.
In particular, the Deputy Minister said, the proposed bill provides, among other things, for the regulation of the adoption process even after the completion of the adoption with counselling services, as well as the mandatory participation of applicants, guardians and adopters in educational programmes, which is not provided for in the existing legislation.
It also provides for the creation of registers of prospective adoptive parents and children for adoption, as well as a procedure for disclosure of information to identify the birth parent, and a procedure for a parent's request to obtain information.
In addition, the Child for Adoption Matching Committee with prospective adoptive parents is established to identify the most appropriate prospective adoptive parents based on the individual needs of each child.
In this context, Ms. Evangelou said, the views and wishes of the child will be taken into account, according to the child's age and degree of maturity.
The Adoption Advisory Committee is also established, which examines the suitability of applicants for adoption purposes.
The Deputy Minister noted that the promotion of the bill in question is part of the Government's general policy to improve the legislative framework relating to children, placing among its priorities the strengthening of their protection and the safeguarding of their rights.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
