Parliamentary panel probes surge of infants stuck in hospitals and adoption woes
A three-hour parliamentary inquiry examined why over 300 children remain hospitalized and the systemic failures of Hungary's adoption system.
During a three-hour session, the parliamentary oversight committee questioned officials from the National Child Protection Service on the mounting problem of infants confined to hospitals, now numbering 301 nationwide, especially in Budapest and the east. Former adoption adviser Deli Judit traced the issue to successive government restructurings that detached adoption from child-protection bodies, abolished compulsory adoptive-parent courses, and raised age limits for prospective parents.
She warned that without bolstering basic health-care services, the situation could worsen. Dr. Séra Natália added that legal ambiguities and stigma against birth parents further complicate reunifications, while logistical gaps leave many children without consistent care. Lawmakers also raised concerns about the increase in children classified as having unknown parents after document lapses. The committee scheduled a follow-up hearing for early October.
