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Published: 31 August 2021

Number of adoptions decreased further

According to Statistics Finland, there were 293 adoptions in Finland in 2020. The number of domestic adoptions was 211 and that of international adoptions 82. The number of adoptions of children born in Finland decreased from the year before and the number of adoptions of children born abroad grew by a few cases. In total, the number of adoptions was 77 lower than in 2019.

Adoptions by place of birth of the adopted in 1987–2020

40 per cent of all adoptions were adoptions of adults

In total, 157 were girls and 136 boys of all persons adopted in Finland in 2020. Forty per cent of persons adopted were aged 18 or over, which is slightly more than in the past few years. The majority of those adopted as adults were born in Finland and about two out of three cases were adoptions within the family. In 46 per cent of adoptions of persons born abroad the adopted child was aged under five, while in adoptions of children born in Finland 32 per cent of the adopted were aged under five.

Most adoptions from Thailand

The majority of adopted children born abroad were born in Thailand (23). The next most common countries of birth were Russia (12 children) and the Philippines (11 children). Around 55 per cent of the adopted children born abroad were boys. Thailand has also been one of the most common countries of adoptions in previous years, and the share of those adopted from Russia rose in 2020 from earlier years.

Adoptive parents most typically aged 40 to 44

In all, 60 per cent of adoptions of children born abroad were adoptions by two parents. Twenty per cent of domestic adoptions were adoptions by two parents. In adoptions of children born abroad by two parents, both the adoptive mother and the adoptive father were typically aged 40 to 44.

Nearly two out of three adoptions within the family

Fourty per cent (117) of adoptions were adoptions outside the family and 60 per cent (176) were adoptions within the family. Adoption within the family refers to the process by which a married spouse or the other partner of a registered partnership adopts their spouse's biological child. Of the adoptions within the family, 50 were adoptions in families of registered partnerships or same-sex married couples.

The number of adoptions within families decreased from previous years especially in families of same-sex married couples and families of registered couples. In previous years (apart from 2017) adoptions within these families have numbered 90 to 127 per year. The Maternity Act, which allows the confirmation of two mothers to a child born through fertility treatment even before the child’s birth, entered into force on 1 April 2019.

Source: Population and Justice Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Laura Lipasti 029 551 3041, info@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Tables

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• Database tables and their variables
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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Adoptions by childs age and place of birth 2015 - 2020 (31.8.2021)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Adoptions by age of the adopted in 1987 to 2020 (31.8.2021)
• Appendix figure 2. Adoptions of children born abroad by country of birth in 2020 (31.8.2021)
• Appendix figure 3. Adoptions by adoption type in 1987 to 2020 (31.8.2021)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, adoptions 2020 (31.8.2021)

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Updated 31.8.2021