Announcement from the Adoption Board: Norway’s national adoption inquiry raises concerns about the risks of international adoption and recommends further development
Norway has published a national adoption report calling for stronger supervision, a reassessment of the funding structure for adoption services, and services grounded in specialised adoption expertise. The Finnish Adoption Board hopes that a similar adoption inquiry will also be conducted in Finland. Sweden conducted its inquiry last year. The Adoption Board does not draw direct conclusions based on the results of national inquiries in other countries, but carefully reviews new international information.
Similar inquiries have also been conducted in other European countries, and the information obtained from these reports is important for adoption activities in Finland. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, which oversees adoption activities, will decide whether to conduct such an inquiry in Finland. The ministry has not yet decided to conduct an inquiry in Finland, but is monitoring the situation. The Adoption Board has informed the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health that it and the Finnish adoption service providers it represents are all pleased to assist should a national inquiry be carried out. A national inquiry can help identify development needs in the adoption system.
"I think it would be very desirable to carry out a national inquiry in Finland, given the strong support for this among adult adoptees and the plenary session of the Adoption Board. We at the Adoption Board are also concerned about the availability of services to adoptees in the future", says Irene Pärssinen-Hentula, Chair of the Adoption Board.
Finland also has a long history of domestic adoption, as well as a period during which it was a sending country in international adoptions. These topics should also be included in the report on Finland, if an inquiry is carried out.
Many European countries have found it necessary to strengthen their oversight structures and resources. The Norwegian report also highlights this. Norway also identifies areas for development that are important for successful adoptions. One key area is having adequate expertise in adoption within family services.
Sweden published its national adoption report in June 2025. Based on its recommendation, Sweden has now decided to establish a resource centre for adoptees, which will begin operations on January 1, 2027. The centre aims to respond to the support needs of adoptees and to streamline services that were previously scattered across multiple agencies.
The Adoption Board stresses adoptee rights to information and support
National inquiries can also cause concern among adoptees and their families. In Finland, all parties involved in an adoption have the right to psychosocial support from adoption counselling whenever adoption-related issues raise questions or concerns. Adoption counselling is available at the family law units of wellbeing services counties or through Save the Children Finland. Adoptees from abroad also need post-adoption services provided through international adoption service providers for inquiries involving their country of origin.
The Adoption Board stresses that the rights of adult adoptees to information must be promoted in all situations.
"You can easily contact the Adoption Board if you have any doubts about the legality of your adoption. In these situations, the Adoption Board works with the adoption authorities in the country of origin and with the Finnish adoption service provider to begin looking into any questions that arise. Unlike in other Nordic countries, there have been very few reports of such cases in Finland so far. This can partly be explained by the fact that there have not been large numbers of private adoptions in Finland, and adoption activity has been smaller in scale than elsewhere", says Pärssinen-Hentula.
Significantly fewer international adoptions in Finland than in Norway and Sweden
The first Adoption Act regulating international adoptions came into force in 1985, when the Adoption Board was established. Between 1985 and 2025, 5,049 children were adopted in Finland through Finnish service providers. There have been slightly over 20,000 international adoptions in Norway and just over 60,000 in Sweden.
"International adoption began much earlier in Norway and Sweden than in Finland, and adoptions have involved more countries of origin. Finland’s more limited context for international adoptions has been a protective factor in terms of the legality of adoptions", says Pärssinen-Hentula.
Enquiries
Irene Pärssinen-Hentula
Head, Chair of the Adoption Board
[email protected] (available 22.–25.6.)
Read more
- Norwegian National Adoption Report (in Norwegian)
- News from Sweden’s national adoption inquiry commission (In Swedish)
- Regeringen inrättar nationellt resurscentrum för adopterade (in Swedish)