Flanders stops adoptions from Vietnam: “Insufficient guarantees to rule out malpractice”

Flanders stops intercountry adoptions from Vietnam. An initial screening round of five countries of origin shows that there are insufficient guarantees that malpractice with adoptions from Vietnam is excluded, concludes Flemish Minister of Health and Welfare Hilde Crevits. The light is green for adoptions from Portugal, Colombia and South Africa. There will be an additional site visit for Kazakhstan. The screening of 15 other countries of origin is still ongoing.

After reports of malpractice with intercountry adoptions from Ethiopia in 2019, the Flemish government decided to set up an expert panel on intercountry adoptions. After the publication of the final report of that panel, former Minister of Welfare Wouter Beke (CD&V) decided to have the cooperation with all countries of origin screened. This screening, in which adoptees and the intercountry adoption services were also heard, was supposed to help prevent abuses in the future.

Five countries were part of the first round of screening: Portugal, Colombia, South Africa, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. The screening gave the green light for Portugal, Colombia and South Africa. Adoption cooperation remains possible for those countries. Kazakhstan turns orange. This means that an on-site visit is necessary before a final decision can be made.

Red for Vietnam

The light is on red for one country: Vietnam. "There is too little confidence to be able to say that abuses can be ruled out," says Minister Crevits. "That says nothing about past adoptions, but new adoptions are excluded.”

According to Bruno Vanobbergen, acting Administrator General of Growing Up, there were several problems with cooperation with Vietnam. "Problems with the application of the Hague Convention (the reference treaty for intercountry adoption, ed.), no central database and registration, little transparency surrounding financial transactions,..." Vanobbergen sums up. The two candidate parents who were on the waiting list for an adoption from Vietnam have now been contacted. "We will look for a solution together with them," it said.

Desire for adoption decreases

The number of adoptions from Vietnam has been very limited in recent years. Since 2018, there have only been five adoptions. The number of intercountry adoptions has been very low in Flanders for years anyway. While that number was around 60 in 2016 and 2017, there were only 28 international adoptions in 2021 and 2022.

The screening of the 15 other countries of origin is still ongoing. Communication about this is expected before the summer.