Adoptions, 2009

The figures on foreign adoptions have increased slightly compared to 2008, but since 2005 the number of foreign adoptions has decreased considerably. The decrease in the number of foreign adoptions is mainly due to the fact that more and more countries are trying to find solutions for the children in their own country. The result is that fewer children are released for adoption to other countries, while the number of people who want to adopt is increasing.

Most children from China

Thirty-one per cent of the children adopted from abroad in 2009 came from China, 14 per cent were from South Korea, and Ethiopia and China had 12 per cent each. More boys than girls were adopted from most of the countries. From China, more girls than boys were adopted, but in the last four years there has been an increase in the number of boys adopted from China, from 3 per cent in 2005 to 31 per cent in 2009. Sixty-nine per cent of the children adopted from abroad were under 3 years old.

Many adult stepchildren

In 2009, 205 adoptions of stepchildren were registered, which is a small decrease from 2008. Almost half of the stepchildren were 18 years or older, while a quarter were under 3 years old. The adoptive parent was a man for about 7 out of 10 of the adoptions of stepchildren. The number of stepchildren adopted by married women increased considerably in 2009. In reality, this is not an increase but a result of the changes in the Marriage Act that allow two persons of same sex to contract a marriage.

The counties of Oslo (83), Hordaland (81) and Akershus (78) had the highest number of adoptions. Fewest adoptions took place in the counties of Hedmark (9), Nord-Trøndelag (9) and Finnmark (5).

Tables:

• Table 1 Adoptions , by type of adoption. 1960-2009
• Table 2 Adoptions, by type of adoptions and county. 2009
• Table 3 Adoptions, by type of adoption, sex and age. 2009
• Table 4 Intercountry adopted, by sex, age and previous citizenship. 2009
• Table 5 Stepchildren adoptions . Adoptive parent's relationship to the child. 1970-2009
• Table 6 Stepchildren adopted, by sex and age. 1970-2009