Number of children adopted to in 2009 – A total of 400 persons born either in Finland or abroad were taken as adoptive children in 2009. Among the adopted persons, 204 were female and 196 male. Most (234) of them were aged under five. 74 were over the age of 18. – The largest group in the adoptions from abroad to Finland was children born in South Africa (43) and Russia (41). Of the children adopted from abroad to Finland 37 were born in China and 28 in Thailand. Thailand and Russia were the countries from where the largest numbers of children were adopted to Finland in 2008. The vast majority (87 %) of the adoptions from abroad were made by two parents. Fewer than half (39 %) of the adoptions of children born in Finland were made by two parents. Source: Statistics Finland

The number of adoptions from abroad is falling because of improved circumstances in many of the countries where children are commonly adopted from.

The number of adoptions from abroad to Finland has decreased. The peak year was 2005 when 338 children came to the country. Last year there were only 224 adoptions, according to Statistics Finland. Although more children were adopted in 2009 than in 2008, the trend is pointing towards fewer cases.

“Last year’s number can be explained by the fact that the adoption board handled an exceptional number of applications. The amount of adoptions has decreased everywhere in recent years,” says superintendent Jonna Salmela of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

The drop in numbers is due to better living conditions in the children’s countries of origin. For this reason children are more often adopted within their home nations. Although applications have also decreased, the number of available adoptive parents has continued to be sufficient.

About 400 applications are made each year. On average, only a handful of these are rejected – the most common grounds are for being too old to adopt or for having mental-health problems.

Sufficient income and a Christian conviction

According to Finnish law, an adoptive parent must be at least 25 years old. Furthermore, the board has ruled that the difference in age between the parent and the child must not exceed 45 years. All other criteria are considered on a case-by-case basis.

The children’s countries of origin also have restrictions. Some countries demand a doctor’s certificate from applicants proving that they have difficulties conceiving. Others also require adoptive parents to have a sufficiently high, regular income.

Certain countries also have special requirements. For example the South African Abba Adoptions organisation requires that applicants be of Christian conviction. As a result, unmarried couples and those living without a partner often experience difficulty finding a child.

Last year most adoptive children came to Finland from South Africa and Russia, followed by China and Thailand. Nine out of ten successful adoptions were made by two-parent applicants and the whole process of adoption from abroad usually took at least four years.

JUSSI LANKINEN – STT
ALEKSIS TORO – HT