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Published: 10 June 2016

Number of adoptions decreased in 2015

According to Statistics Finland, there were 407 adoptions in Finland in 2015. The figure was 38 lower than in the year before. The number of domestic adoptions remained unchanged and the number of adoptions of children born abroad went down by 38. The number of domestic adoptions was 284 and the number of adoptions from abroad was 123.

Adoptions in 1991–2015

*) Law of registered partnerships was changed in 2009.

Of all persons adopted in Finland in 2015, 193 were girls and 214 boys. Most of the adopted were small children. In all, 236 of them were aged under five. Ninety-two were over the age of 18. Children adopted from abroad were rarely over the age of ten. In domestic adoptions, 86 were aged over 18. The number of internal adoptions within families of registered same-sex partnerships grew by 13 and numbered 128 last year.

The largest group in the adoptions from abroad to Finland was children born in South Africa and second largest was children born in China. Adoptions of children born in South Africa numbered 34 and those of children born in China 26. The majority of children adopted from China were boys. Altogether, 20 children born in Thailand were adopted to Finland. Most children were adopted to Finland from South Africa and China also in 2014.

Three-quarters of the adoptions from abroad were made by two parents. Close on one-third of the adoptions of children born in Finland were made by two parents, when account is not taken of internal adoptions within families of registered same-sex partnerships. In adoptions from abroad by two parents, the adoptive father was typically aged 40 to 44 and the adoptive mother was aged 35 to 39.

Source: Population and Justice Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Matti Saari 029 551 3401, info@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Adoptions by age of child and by birthplace 2010 - 2015 (10.6.2016)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Adoptions of foreign born children by country of birth 2015 (10.6.2016)
• Appendix figure 2. Domestic adoptions by adoption parents marital status in 1991 - 2015 (10.6.2016)
• Appendix figure 3. Adoptions of children born abroad to Finland 1991 - 2015 (the figure was corrected on 10 July 2016) (10.6.2016)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, adoptions 2015 (10.6.2016)

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Updated 10.6.2016