France wants the relaunch of international adoptions: eliminated the "do it yourself" and opening up to unmarried couples

The new law on international adoptions has entered into force in France, which establishes the obligation for French couples to be followed by an authorized body, the possibility of adopting for unmarried couples and a one-year post-adoption follow-up. The other most important news

A reform that "will have a direct and beneficial impact on the daily life and development of thousands of children in our country"... for "better taking charge of children's needs , guaranteeing them fully reassuring life plans". With these words the secretary of state responsible for children and families to the Minister of Solidarity and Health Adrien Taquet greeted the reform of international adoptions that France has recently launched by introducing several rather significant innovations which, here, we will try to briefly analyze.

International adoptions in France: ban on proceeding with individual procedures

First of all, the Law regulates international individual adoptions: all candidates in possession of suitability must, therefore, be accompanied by an Authorized Adoption Organization (OAA) - of which there are 24 in all - or by the French Agency for Adoptions ( AFA).

The other significant aspect of the reform is the introduction of a mandatory follow-up period of one year starting from the moment in which the minor is definitively accepted into the adoptive family.

These two main aspects are accompanied by a series of innovations, of which we report the most significant:

Recognition of the role of bodies authorized for adoption in accompanying and preparing candidates for adoption;

The opening of the right to adopt to unmarried couples (cohabiting or united by a PACS);

The reduction of the required duration of cohabitation, from two to one year, the lowering of the minimum age for adoption, from 28 to 26 years;

The establishment of a compulsory medical, social and psychological assessment for the child as soon as he enters France

The easing of the methods of taking adoption leave, extended from ten to sixteen weeks by the 2021 pension funding law;

The introduction of compulsory accompaniment for children in protection with a view to adoption and for children born abroad for a period of one year after adoption

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