Norway, Denmark halt adoptions from overseas, including Taiwan
Taipei, Jan. 18 (CNA) Norway and Denmark have decided to temporarily suspend the adoption of children from all countries abroad, including Taiwan, amid allegations of fraud, according to their respective agencies for international adoption.
The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs said Tuesday that it had recommended a two-year suspension of all adoptions from overseas, pending investigations into alleged illegal cases.
On the same day, the Danish International Adoption agency made a similar announcement, saying it was halting all overseas adoptions, based on concerns over alleged fraud.
According to international media reports, families in Europe, the United States and Australia have been raising alarms for years about adoption fraud, including alleged cases of babies being falsely registered as abandoned orphans when in fact they had living with relatives in their home countries.
Asked about the reports, Chien Hui-jiuan (簡慧娟), director of Taiwan's Social and Family Affairs Administration (SFAA), said Taiwan adheres to the Hague Adoption Convention and there have been no indications from other countries that adoptions from Taiwan had violated international law.
Citing 2022 data, Chien told CNA that of the 110 overseas adoptions recorded that year from Taiwan, 62 went to families in the United States, while Norway and Denmark each accounted for one.
Meanwhile, SFAA Deputy Director Chang Mei-mei (張美美) said that Taiwan's adoption regulations include a legal approval system and government regulated procedures for agencies involved in the processes.
When those agencies are working with international counterparts, the former must obtain Taiwan government approval and undergo thorough assessments by social workers, after which they must obtain court approval for such adoptions, Chang said.
Since 2015, a total of 15 Taiwanese children have been adopted by families in Norway, according to Lee Fang-ling (李芳玲), deputy director of the Department of Social Work in the Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF), the only adoption agency in Taiwan that coordinates with organizations in Norway.
Late last year, however, the CWLF received a notice from its counterpart in Norway regarding the suspension of adoptions from Taiwan, and was asked to provide additional identification documents and other data about the Taiwanese children who had previously been adopted, Lee told CNA.
Amid concerns by Norwegian authorities about fraud, the additional information requested included original copies of documents and explanations of why the children had been put up for adoption and could not stay with their biological families, Lee added.
In accordance with Taiwan law, Lee said, the records of adopted children put up for adoption in Taiwan must be officially registered, and the adoption application has to be approved by a court.
She said, however, that there are disparities between Taiwan's adoption standards and those of the international community, particularly regarding the reasons for adoption. In Taiwan, it is common to cite poverty as reason, but international standards emphasize economic support to keep children with their own families, Lee said.
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