Madonna's adoption approval

Sep 17, 2007, 11:12 GMT

Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie, the British film maker, in their car as they leave the Jerusalem residence of Israeli President Shimon Peres after paying him a visit on 15 September 2007 evening. The couple then went out to dinner in a Jerusalem restaurant. Madonna is in Israel with other celebrities on a Kabbalah (mystic Judaism) visit. EPA/OREL COHEN ISRAEL OUT

Madonna will be allowed to keep her adopted Malawian son.

The 'Hung Up' singer was visited by the head of Malawi's Social Services earlier this month and has now been given the all-clear to formally adopt two-year-old David Banda.

Simon Chisale spent three days with Madonna, husband Guy Ritchie and her two other children, Lourdes, 10, and seven-year-old Rocco, at the family's London mansion.

Chisale - who was assessing the couple's suitability to adopt David - was particularly impressed with the measures the family has taken to make David feel at home.

He revealed that Madonna and Lourdes speak to David in his native language, Chichewa, and said the little boy had bonded very well with his new family.

According to reports, he told his colleagues: "When I arrived David was playing a card game with Rocco. Madonna told me he understands a bit of Chichewa and she fetched some tourist guide books to Malawi.

"She told me she has Malawian friends who pop in to teach the family Chichewa. She also has a Chichewa translation of her children's book, 'The English Roses'."

Chisale claimed Madonna - who had been accused of using her celebrity status to fast-track the adoption - was the "perfect mother", at one point baking cakes while her children played happily.

Chisale was also impressed with David's new lifestyle, telling friends: "The carpet is so luxurious it's like walking on a live sheep."

The 49-year-old star was originally granted an 18-month interim adoption to take David out of the country last October.

Meanwhile, it has been claimed Madonna is ready to adopt again - a 20-month-old Malawian girl named Mercy.

She is said to have fallen in love with the little girl, whose mother died just five days after her birth, and is keen to give her a new life in Britain.

However, officials insist Madonna is yet to formalise anything.

(C) BANG Media International