Blockchain technology will be used in child adoption, in a move the government claims will cut red tape and speed up the process.

The system - mostly associated with powering bitcoin - is a digital ledger that provides a secure way of making and recording transactions, agreements and contracts.

It will be used in child adoption specifically around the process of digitizing the process, which currently depends on a large number of documents being mailed. 

According to the government, it will increase security and reduce the risk of errors being made.

Family Minister Michael Falzon and Digital Economy Parliamentary Secretary Clayton Bartolo said through blockchain, the process would be facilitated to safeguard the interests of children. 

Falzon said the initiative was an important development for adopted children, and their families. He said that the COVID-19 pandemic left a negative impact on the number of adoptions this year.

He said that the Child Protection Act was enacted in July enabling the adoption of children who would have been in foster care for at least five years. In extraordinary circumstances, this time can go down to two years.

 
The minister said it was his personal wish that through these adjustments local adoptions would start to be explored. He said there were currently some 480 children under a care order or who did not live with their natural parents.

Bartolo said child adoption through the blockchain measure complemented the government’s vision for a digital Malta.
 
The technology would be simplifying the process and increasing security and peace of mind, he said.