Adoptions, 2010

There were 343¹ adoptions from a foreign country and 153 stepchildren adoptions in 2010, which is almost as many adoptions from a foreign country as in 2009, whereas the number of stepchildren adoptions decreased considerably.

In recent years, the number of adopted boys from China has increased from a few percentage points to almost half of the adopted children. At the same time there has been a decrease in the total number of children adopted from China.

As many girls and boys adopted from abroad

Most of the children adopted intercountry came from China, Colombia and South Korea, as has been the case in earlier years. There were as many girls and boys among the children adopted from abroad. The figure of intercountry adopted boys has increased in recent years. Two thirds of the children were under 3 years old.

Fewer stepchildren adoptions

There were 52 less stepchildren adoptions in 2010 than the year before. In the period 2007-2009, there were more than 200 stepchildren adoptions every year. Thirty-five per cent of the stepchildren were under 3 years old, 23 per cent were aged 3-17 years and 42 per cent were 18 years or older. The adoptive parent was a man in 59 per cent of the stepchildren adoptions, a woman in 31 per cent, and in 9 per cent of the cases it was a partner in a partnership.

Most adoptions in the county of Akershus

The highest numbers of adoptions were in the counties of Akershus and Oslo, with 82 and 75 adoptions respectively. These were followed by the counties of Hordaland and Rogaland, with 55 and 54 adoptions. Fewest adoptions took place in the counties of Sogn og Fjordane and Finnmark.

Tables:

• Table 1 Adoptions , by type of adoption. 1960-2010
• Table 2 Adoptions, by type of adoptions and county. 2010
• Table 3 Adoptions, by type of adoption, sex and age. 2010
• Table 4 Intercountry adopted, by sex, age and previous citizenship. 2010
• Table 5 Stepchildren adoptions . Adoptive parent's relationship to the child. 1970-2010
• Table 6 Stepchildren adopted, by sex and age. 1970-2010