Family Minister Michael Falzon has called for a change in culture that favours open adoptions, as the number of local adoptions remains low. A total of 234 children have been adopted over the past nine years, only three of whom were adopted from Malta. Most of the children adopted over the past two years were from India. Falzon said on Thursday that of the 23 children adopted last year, three were from Bulgaria and one from Malta. The rest were adopted from India. In 2020, 18 children were adopted from India, two from Portugal, and two from Malta. The minister, who urged for more local adoptions, told Times of Malta that recent legislative amendments and financial grants have facilitated local adoptions. “However, the biggest push would come once there is a change in culture towards accepting the concept of open adoption. This means that when children are adopted, they retain open contact with their biological parents. “There are currently 460 children in alternative care, 260 of whom are being fostered. I would personally like to see more adopted children.” Addressing the same press conference, Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) Alfred Grixti noted that the new Child...