Online registry for adoption, fostering ready by end of January, says minister

The electronic record of all children that are currently under the state's care will be ready by the end of January, the Deputy Minister for social solidarity issues, Domna Michailidou, said in Parliament on Thursday.

The statement case in response to a question by main opposition SYRIZA MP Ioannis Balafas, who stressed the importance of speeding up the procedure for adoption and fostering.

“Our policy is to de-institutionalize children, and the key to quickly resolving this problem is the electronic registry we have created and operates, which will link prospective parents or foster parents with children,” she told lawmakers.

The minister said all applications for adoption and fostering, along with seven state-run and 47 private child protection bodies have already been added to the system.

The record forms part of Greece's first integrated online platform for adoption and fostering, which brings together the details of children waiting for a home and prospective parents from social services, agencies and organizations across the country.

This platform will include whatever details are available concerning their background, their medical history and other personal details of interest to prospective parents, who will also be screened for suitability.

The new adoption and fostering law, introduced by the previous government of SYRIZA in 2019, aims to slash the time it takes to place a child with adoptive or foster parents from the current average of six years to less than 12 months, while also making the process more transparent.

The law also allows same-sex couples to become guardians of orphans.