The cabinet expects simplified adoption procedures and the introduction of related child care benefit to lead to a rise in adoptions, social affairs state secretary Miklós Soltész told reporters on Thursday.

Child care benefit for those who adopt children up to age ten has been available since January 1.

One of the adoptive parents may stay at home with the child for six months even if the child is beyond the age at which maternity benefits would be paid.

The number of adoptions has fallen in the past ten years. At present about 2,000 couples are waiting to adopt babies.

These changes are expected to persuade more women to give birth and give up their babies for adoption instead of having abortions, Soltész said. He added that abortion cannot be banned, nor is it worth banning it.

He confirmed that no changes are planned to regulations on adoptions for same-sex couples.