About the Finnish Adoption Board
The Adoption Board is a special expert, licensing and supervisory authority in adoption matters and is the national Central Authority referred to in the Hague Adoption Convention. The Adoption Board is an independent authority based at the Finnish Supervisory Agency.
The Adoption Board monitors developments in adoption operations in Finland and issues adoption permissions to adoption applicants for both domestic and intercountry adoptions. The Adoption Board also licenses intercountry adoption service providers and supervises their operations.
The Finnish Government appoints the Adoption Board for a maximum term of five years at a time. The Board has a chairperson, a deputy chairperson and members representing various fields of expertise. Each member has a designated deputy member. The current Adoption Board began its five year term of service on 1 July 2022. See the members of the Adoption Board.
The Board meets at plenary sessions and sectional meetings. The plenary session monitors developments in adoption matters and publishes initiatives on adoption issues as necessary. Other matters in the Adoption Board’s jurisdiction are dealt with by the Section for Adoption Permission Matters, which handles adoption permissions, and the Section for International Matters, which discharges the duties of Finland’s Central Authority.
Adoptiolautakunnan tehtävät jaostoittain
The Adoption Board grants adoption permissions to adoption applicants in the Section for Adoption Permission Matters. The members of the Section include at least experts in child welfare, adoption counselling, child growth and development and medicine.
The purpose of the Section for Adoption Permission Matters is to grant adoption permissions for domestic adoption, intercountry adoption through a service provider and intercountry adoption without a service provider. The Section also processes notifications regarding changes in the circumstances of an adoption applicant. The Section further ammends the conditions of adoption permissions, extends the validity of adoption permissions and cancells adoption permissions.
The duties of the Section for International Matters include: granting operating licences to service providers; overseeing the operations of service providers; monitoring compliance with the Hague Adoption Convention; and other duties of the central authority as per said Convention. There is a representative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in the Section for International Matters. The Section also includes members with expertise in legal matters relating to international adoptions, practical intercountry adoption operations and child welfare.
Contact information
By email: [email protected]
Submit the data for your adoption permit application to the Finnish Adoption Board using the secure forms. The use of the secure form is the fastest way to submit data related to adoption applications to the Finnish Adoption Board.
By mail:
Finnish Adoption Board
P.O. Box 40
13035 LVV
Please note that when using a post office box address, there will be a delay as the post office box is located in the registry of the Finnish Supervisory Agency in Hämeenlinna, from where the mail is delivered by post to the Finnish Adoption Board in Helsinki.
The Finnish Adoption Board’s visiting address (visits must be agreed on separately):
Ratapihantie 9
00520 Helsinki
Irene Pärssinen-Hentula
Manager, Chair of the Adoption Board
[email protected]
+358 295 255 136
Taija Jokimaa-Frusti
Senior Officer, Deputy Chair of the Adoption Board
[email protected]
+358 295 254 791
Päivi Pietarila
Senior Officer, Secretary of the Adoption Board
[email protected]
+358 295 255 503
Louna Dunkel
Senior Officer, Secretary of the Adoption Board
[email protected]
+358 295 254 035