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...