Dr Peter Selman Newcastle University, UK The Continuing Decline in Intercountry Adoption

The Rise and Fall of ICA The period from has seen a remarkable rise and fall in the number of children moving for intercountry adoption each year. In 1997 there were about 27,000 adoptions; by 2004 this had risen to over 45,000; By 2013 the global total has fallen below 17,000, the lowest figure since the early 1990s. The number of children adopted has fallen in most states of origin – the exception has been for Africa where numbers have risen in many countries.

Aim of presentation I have examined the rise in numbers elsewhere – “Global Trends in Intercountry Adoption, ” Adoption Advocate 44 doption-advocate-no-44.html My aim in this presentation is to look in more detail at the global decline and at changes in the characteristics of children moving. I will also look at likely future trends.

Intercountry Adoption USA Spain France Italy Top 4 Sweden Norway Denmark Ireland Finland 23 States 22,884 5,541 4,079 3,400 35,904 1, ,281 19,613 3,648 3,162 3,420 29, ,245 12,753 3,006 3,017 3,964 22, ,433 9,320 2,573 1,995 4,022 17,900 (538) ,412 8,668 1,669 1,569 3,160 15,056 (466) ,338

Trends in Intercountry Adoption Between 1997 and 2004 numbers rose by 60% worldwide: by 80% in the USA; by 140% in Ireland; by 475% in Spain. Between 2004 and 2012 numbers fell by 58% worldwide; by 62% in France & USA; by 67% in Ireland; and by 70% in Spain. Italy: 18% growth to 2011 but down in 2012

Change in Numbers % change Ireland Netherlands USA – FY Spain France 398 1,307 22,824 5,541 4, ,149 2,891 3, ,320 2,573 1, states 45,29929,12723, % Sweden Denmark Canada Italy 1, ,955 3, ,946 4, ,969 4,

Receiving States % Change 2011 to 2013 USA 12,7539,3207, % ITALY 3,9644,0222, % FRANCE 3,0171,9951, % SPAIN 3,0062,5731, % HOLLAND % DENMARK % IRELAND %

Standardised Rates Although the United States receive most children for ICA, other countries have a higher level per 100,000 population or per 1,000 live births (adoption ratio). In 2004 the highest ratios were found in Norway, Spain and Sweden; one for every 100 live births. Ireland’s ratio was similar In 2011 the highest ratio was found in Italy.

Adoption Ratios: - per 1,000 births Receiving States: 2004 – 2011 Year > Norway Spain Sweden Ireland Italy USA UK

Top 7 Sending Countries: Korea India Colombia Brazil Sri Lanka Chile Philippines Russia China Vietnam Korea Colombia Guatemala India China Russia Guatemala Korea Ukraine Colombia Ethiopia China Ethiopia Russia Haiti Columbia Vietnam Korea China Ethiopia Russia Ukraine Congo Columbia Philippines

Top States of Origin China 11,23114,4838,7485,0124,13583,460 Russia7,7377,4924,8814,0332,58653,637 Ethiopia8581,7893,0364,5532,80028,471 Guatemala 2,6763,8734, ,431 Colombia1,7491,4721,6341, ,500 S Korea2,3322,1211,2261, ,387 Ukraine2,0511,9891,6141, ,673

Age of Children Adopted EURADOPT 2010EURADOPT Korea92%8%0%96%4%0% S Africa76%23%1%86%14%0% Ethiopia36%56%8%47%38%15% China11%87%1%28%72%0% India4%68%28%8%76%16% Ukraine---21%79%---40%60% Brazil---22%78%---41%59%

Gender of Children Adopted EURADOPT 2010 FemaleMale% girls China % India % Ethiopia % Korea % EURADOPT 2005 FemaleMale% girls 1, % % % %

Intercountry Adoptions from four continents – as % of all ASIA 43%40%36%35% EUROPE 32%21%25%24% Latin America 17%23%12% AFRICA6%13%24%28%

Adoptions from Asia Since the late 1990s China has been the most important source of children worldwide, sending more than 135,000 from Before that Korea had been main source of children and by 2011 had sent more than 165,000. in the 1980s three of the top 5 states of origin were Asian: Korea, India & Sri Lanka. In per cent of adoptions were from Asia but by 2012 this had fallen to 35 per cent.

Adoptions from Asia China 11,22614,493 8,7485,0124,13583,460 Korea 2,3082,1211,2231, ,387 Vietnam 9361,1981,6951, ,092 India 1, , ,092 Philippines ,918 Thailand ,903 Taiwan ,975

CHINA Country USA6,8577,9035,4533,0002,5892,306 Spain1,0432,7531, Canada1, NL Sweden Norway Ireland TOTAL11,23114,4838,7485,0124,3673,400

Adoption from China If adoptions had continued at the 2005 level, by 2010 China would have sent as many children in 17 years as Korea in 50. In fact numbers have fallen and the total sent is about 135,000, well below the Korean total of 165,000 from A majority of children now have special needs – and many more are older boys.

Sex Ratio in Chinese ICA YEARTotalGirlsBoys% female ,22113, % ,6469,6381,008 90% 20077,8586,6501,208 85% 20085,5314,1691,362 75% 20095,2943,9011,393 74%

CHINA (CCCWA) Intercountry 5,5414,4594,9113,8454,030 Domestic 37,00939,80129,61827, Total 42,55044,26034, % ICA 7%10%14%11%

Adoption from South Korea In 2007 for the first time for many years there were more domestic than intercountry adoptions. But annual number of intercountry adoptions remained high for a country which is now rich and has lowest fertility in Asia. Number fell from 2,287 in 2004 to 916 in 2011 and 236 in 2013 A new Act in 2012 prioritises domestic adoption and introduced dual citizenship and in May 2013 Korea finally signed the Hague Convention.

SOUTH KOREA

Intercountry Adoption

Adoption in India India has the lowest adoption ratio (0.02 in 2011) of any major sending country and numbers have been falling – from 1,364 in 2000 to 350 in but may rise again. In-country adoptions are now more numerous but remain few in relation to need. At the same time concern over irregularities – e.g. children stolen or sold by parents - have been increasing.

INDIA Country USA Italy Canada Denmark Spain Sweden TOTAL1,6181,

VIETNAM Receiving Country France1, USA Sweden Canada Italyn/a Irelandn/a Spain TOTAL2, ,1981,

The rise and fall of Eastern European adoptions The fall of Ceausescu in December 1989 and media coverage of the terrible conditions in Romanian orphanages led to a flood of rescuers taking children – an estimated 10,000 adoptions from mid-1990 to the end of years later, Romania – under strong pressure from the EU – called a total end to inter-country adoptions other than by close relatives.

Eastern Europe Russia7,7439,4254,1403,3251,767 Ukraine2,0522,0211,5771, Bulgaria Belarus Romania Poland Lithuania Hungary Latvia

Adoption from Russia On January 1 st 2013 a new law came in banning adoption by American citizens - following the death of Dima Yakovlev from heat-stroke; the case of Artyam Savelyev, sent back by his adoptive mother; and other incidents involving children adopted in USA. Russia is also talking of banning all adoptions from countries not signing a bilateral agreement. Ireland has no agreement. Russia has signed but not ratified the Hague Convention, so no new DES in 2013.

RUSSIA Receiving Country US (FY) 5,8654,6392,3101, Spain 1,6181, Italy France Ireland Israel Total 9,3847,4924,8814,0333,2921,767

Intercountry Adoption from Africa For many years intercountry adoption from Africa was rare. However, the growing demand for young infants - and fall in numbers from many other sending countries – has changed all that, notably in Ethiopia, which sent 4,575 children in 2009 and was the main supplier of children to Belgium: 2 nd largest to the USA, Canada, France and the EurAdopt agencies; 3 rd largest to Australia.

Madonna and Child

TOP 7 AFRICAN STATES Ethiopia 2,800 4,5753,0341, Congo DR Nigeria Uganda Ghana Sth Africa Mali All Africa 5,268 6,4654,7413,4452,317

Standardised Rates 2009 AFRICA Adoptions per 1,000 births Other Countries Adoptions per 1,000 births Peak rate (year) Ethiopia1.28Haiti (2010) Ghana0.5Ukraine (2003) Cote d’Ivoire 0.4Korea (1985) Mali0.35Russia (2004) S Africa0.27 Guatemala (2007) Congo RD0.05China (2005) Nigeria0.03India (2003)

% of adoptions from Africa All countries: % of adoptions from Africa 5.4%7.8%12.7 %21.7%27.9% % of adoptions to USA from African states 1.8%3.8%9.3%21.8%29.6% % of adoptions to France from Africa 24.4%26.2%29.2%32.6%42.1% % of adoptions to Italy from Africa 2.4%9.1%9.8%12.5%20.1%

Source of African Adoptions % of adoptions from Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA USA ,2552,2771, Spain France Italy Canada Belgium Ireland TOTAL 7281,5243,0354,5423,4562,025

CONGO-Kinshasa USA Italy France N’lands Canada Spain TOTAL

Uganda USA Netherlands Canada Sweden Belgium TOTAL

South Africa Denmark Finland Netherlands Belgium Sweden USA TOTAL

Mali France Spain Italy Belgium Canada TOTAL

Adoption from Latin America In the 1980s six of the top 10 sending countries were from Latin America. In 2008 there were three Guatemala, Colombia and Haiti; by 2011 only two: Colombia and Brazil. By 2008, Haiti had became a new major source for France, Canada, the USA and the Netherlands, which led to major issues over Adoption after the 2010 earthquake Brazil still sends children a year but most are older or have special needs. Chile and El Salvador send less than 100 a year.

Latin America Guatemala2,6763,8724, Colombia1,7501,4661,6351, Haiti1, , Brazil Bolivia Mexico Peru

Child Rescue or Child Theft ? In 2010 the Haitian Earthquake raised fears of “rescue” of children affected. 10 members of an Idaho- based Baptist charity were arrested for trying to take 33 Haitian children across the border with the Dominican Republic – none were orphans Meanwhile fears were also raised over plans to “expedite” adoptions which were “in the pipe-line” – leading to a major report from ISS and debate at the Hague Special Commission 2,600 children were taken to Canada, France, the USA and the Netherlands. None to Italy, Spain or the Nordic Countries.

HAITI Receiving Country France USA (1,223)33388 Canada N/lands Spain Total 1, ,3322,

SPECIAL NEEDS ADOPTION For the 2010 Hague Special Commission, states were asked to indicate how many of the children adopted had “special needs” i.e. “those who may be suffering from a behaviour disorder or trauma, physically or mentally disabled, older children (usually above 7 years of age) or are part of a sibling group” The issue of special needs adoption has been identified as a key topic for the next Special Commission in June 2015

REUTERS INVESTIGATES Reuters investigative reporter Megan Twohey spent 18 months examining how American parents use the Internet to find new families for children they regret adopting. Reporters identified eight online bulletin boards where participants advertised unwanted children, often international adoptees, as part of an informal practice that's called "private re- homing.” option/#article/part1

Age of Children Adopted in key receiving states - Hague % over 5 % under 1 % over 5 % under 1 % over 5 % under 1 Italy47%6%50%10% 58% 7% France24%32%33%23% 34% 21% USA16%42%18%39% 25% Iceland 6%17%11% 29% 6% Australia 8%47%8%41% 9% 37%

Children with special needs - selected sending countries (Hague ) Chile100% Latvia53%42%80%97% Albania59%42%66% Lithuania30%34%71% China9%30%49%

% of Children Adopted from China with special needs (Hague) Sweden6%25% 69% Netherlands13%42% 66% USA14%42% 61% All States9%30% 49% France6%13% 34% Norway0.1%7% 28% Spain0.1%4% 9%

The Impact of falling numbers Declining numbers of children placed for adoption has led to a growing imbalance between supply and demand so that prospective adoptive parents outnumber annual adoptions and many are waiting many years after approval for a child. The Hague conference has noted that as a result agencies have falling income while having to deal with the higher costs of placing children with special needs, while excess of demand over supply creates new pressures on states of origin.

European Central Authorities Meeting The 2013 meeting in Dublin noted that: Children available for adoption are getting older and a majority are regarded as ‘special needs’ Preparation of PAPs must take account of this and service providers must manage expectations in line with current realities Decreasing numbers of ICA mean viability of many accredited bodies is in doubt

Children in Families First - CHIFF Meanwhile in the US a proposed new law would aim to increase intercountry adoptions. Its proponents see the Hague Convention as bureaucratic and denying homes to thousands of “orphans”. It would simplify procedures and allow easier adoption from non-Hague states. Opponents see it as driven by the Christian- based Orphan Movement – see Kathryn Joyce’s The Child Catchers – and ignoring the dangers for countries like Uganda.

Waiting Dossiers in Spain and Ireland By the end of 2012 there were more than 23,000 adoption dossiers waiting for a child. In 2013, there were only 1,188 ICA completed – At the current rate, the “waiting” dossiers would be ‘sufficient’ for more than 19 years!!! [San Roman & Marre 2014] In Ireland there are c 650 valid declarations for ICA – and in 2013 there were less than 20 Hague –compliant referrals

Will PAPs turn to Domestic Adoption? There is also interest in whether prospective adopters will turn (or turn back) to in-country adoptions. Some European countries are asking why they have had so few in the last 2-3 decades. In Ireland, there were more domestic than intercountry adoptions in 2013 but a majority were step-parent adoptions.

Cross-Border Surrogacy As the number of intercountry adoptions falls, many expect the interest in cross- border surrogacy to increase further. It is clear that already the number of such commercial arrangements is higher than number of ICA – hence concern of Hague Conference for a future international convention: - see recent forum in Den Haag

Dr Peter Selman Newcastle University, UK Thank you !