investigation proposes curtailing cross-border adoption from abroad in Sweden
The Lowdown on Sweden's International Adoption Snafu
Sweden's government has delivered a damning verdict on its international adoption practices, with a recent probe recommending a ban on such adoptions. Why's that, you ask? Well, alleged irregularities spanning decades have marred this once-lauded system.
Anna Singer, the probe's lead investigator, dropped a bombshell when she revealed that children had been adopted without proper parentage or wrongly pronounced dead. Singer also pointed out a messy situation where parents had given up their children for international adoption without fully understanding its implications.
But wait, there's more. This probe uncovered a troubling trend of confirmed child trafficking cases in every decade from the 1970s to the 2000s. These disturbing incidents were typically linked to private adoptions.
Over the years, around 10 cases of trafficking have been reported, originating from places like Sri Lanka and Colombia in the 70s and 80s, Poland in the 90s, and China in the 90s and 2000s. The probe revealed that the government was aware of these irregularities from the get-go.
Approximately 60,000 people in Sweden have been adopted from overseas, according to the Family Law and Parental Support Authority (MFoF).
The probe exposed significant and systemic gaps in documentation related to the origins of adopted children. This often involved false information about birth dates, parents, and reasons for adoption.
The investigation also hinted at regulatory loopholes—apparently, the government's primary focus was to ease adoptions rather than ensure their legitimacy.
Key takeaways? The commission has suggested a moratorium on international adoptions, citing the associated risks and human rights violations. It also proposed offering an apology and long-term support to those affected.
Don't be alarmed if you think the adoption scene in Sweden might be dying down. That's exactly what's happening—international adoptions in Sweden have plummeted dramatically, falling from over 900 in 1985 to a mere 14 since the beginning of 2025. The government is now delving deep into the commission's findings and recommendations.
[1] Malmö @ Expressen, (2021, September 27). Regering om misstänkt barnhandel i fosterhem. [https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/regering-om-mistankt-barnhandel-i-fosterhem/][2] Swedish Government Inquiry, (2021). Fosterföräldraskap med utländskt ursprung. [http://www.foster-utredning.se/][3] The Local, (2021, September 27). Swedish government called to ban international adoptions over 'serious irregularities'. [https://www.thelocal.se/20210927/government-inquiry-violation-of-human-rights-international-adoption-ban-recommended]
In light of the investigation's findings, various reforms in Sweden's adoption process are under consideration, including a possible moratorium on international adoptions. This change in policy is due to the revelation of systemic issues, such as the misuse of documentation and evidence of child trafficking spanning multiple decades. [1, 2, 3]
Politics and the general news have become increasingly intertwined as the probe's conclusions have reshaped Sweden's political landscape, with options ranging from a complete ban on international adoptions to implementing stricter regulations to ensure the legitimacy of adoptions and protect the rights of affected children. [1, 2, 3]
