An arson attack on a foster family’s house by the angry mother of a child about to be adopted highlights the urgent need to strengthen the law on fostering, the National Foster Care Association Malta said.

Earlier this year, the government announced measures to be introduced under a proposed law for children who live in out-of-home care. These included permanent fostering and mechanisms to free up children living in care for adoption.

On Thursday, a 29-year-old woman admitted sending people to set fire to the front door of her daughter’s foster parents’ house to discourage them from adopting the child.

The incident fuelled a fear foster families often have: being tracked down by the parents of the child they are fostering.

The authorities have to ensure children who cannot be brought up by their biological families are not deprived of their second chance with a foster family

This fear is compounded by the fact such parents are often people with social problems and, in some cases, they may not know their boundaries, especially if they want custody of the child who would be placed under a care order.

The association yesterday condemned the arson and urged the authorities to “be vigilant and assertive in their decisions”.

“The authorities have to ensure children who cannot be brought up by their biological families are not deprived of their second chance with a foster family, especially when the probability of being reintegrated with their biological parents is bleak or non-existent,” it said.

The association highlighted the need for the proposed legal amendment to be “brought forward in the immediate future”.

As things stand, only temporary foster care exists, with carers having to undergo a review every six months.

Introducing the option of permanent fostering would remove such uncertainty and allow for future planning.

As opposed to adoption, foster carers do not have parental rights.

Children in care are rarely freed up for adoption and the proposed law aims to address the issue.

Under the current system, for a child who lives in a residential home to be adopted, there first has to be a request to adopt.

If this is considered to be in the child’s interest, the biological parents’ consent is sought.

This often blocks adoptions because the courts can only override parents in certain cases, such as in instances of abuse.

Biological parents can refuse to give consent.