Save the Children ends international adoption services, raising concerns in Finland

Save the Children’s announcement to end its international adoption services has sparked concern and confusion among prospective adoptive families, according to Jenny Nyman Ahokas, the Executive Director of Adoption Families Association.

“We have received inquiries about whether international adoption will cease entirely and what will happen to post-adoption services,” Ahokas stated. Save the Children revealed yesterday that it would no longer accept new clients for its international adoption queue after the turn of the year. The reason cited is that fewer people are seeking to adopt children from abroad, coupled with a significant decrease in the number of children in need of adoptive families due to advancements in child welfare.

Currently, there are 44 couples or individuals in Save the Children’s international adoption queue. Kristiina Mattinen, the Director of Regional Services, affirmed that these adoption processes will be completed as usual. “We will not abandon them,” Mattinen assured.

Ahokas expressed concern for those awaiting adoption, noting that the process can be long and stressful. Applicants are expected to maintain stable lives for years, with even job changes requiring a notification to the adoption board. “All these factors, which already burden the wait and affect the sense of security, can be particularly heavy for many applicants,” Ahokas added.

Despite this development, Save the Children will continue to provide post-adoption services and adoption counseling to welfare region clients. Mattinen emphasized the organization’s commitment to offering support for decades to come.

International adoption will not end in Finland completely, as Interpedia’s adoption service will continue operations. In recent years, 20 to 50 children have been adopted from abroad via Interpedia annually.

On a global scale, the number of international adoptions has plummeted since the 2000s due to a dwindling pool of eligible children. Factors contributing to the decline in adoption popularity in Finland include advancements in fertility treatments and perceptions of adoption as a lengthy and challenging process, according to Mattinen.