"I plead for a Belgian adoption break"

The Netherlands will temporarily stop adopting from abroad. The government has decided this after a spicy report from the Joustra Commission. This shows that the Dutch government has known since the 1960s about abuses in the world of adoption, such as child trafficking and child theft. San-Ho Correweyn was also adopted himself and also proposes such an adoption break in Belgium. To get rid of the long waiting lists and to reflect on how things can and should be improved.

"Not five to twelve, but three in the afternoon"

San-Ho Correwyn was adopted himself and co-wrote the book "#HetGevoelGeadopteerd". “I knew that the adoption studies were underway in the Netherlands and that the reports would be critical,” he says in “Sofie's World.” “But what I didn't know was that the government would respond so quickly with that pause. I am pleasantly surprised. ”

Also in Flanders, an expert panel is working on a report on adoption. And Correwyn is really looking forward to that. “It's not five to twelve, but three in the afternoon, for that matter. I hope that those responsible will admit that everything went wrong. A recognition is already the first step. "

"We are also happy to have adoptees involved," said Correwyn. "We had to sound the alarm to make that happen."

Orphans that don't turn out to be orphans

The history of adoption in the Netherlands and Belgium is not that different at all. “Here, too, a lot has gone wrong with international adoptions,” says Correwyn. For example, there are the situations of adopted 'orphans' from Congo who turn out not to be orphans at all. In addition, you have the situations in Sri Lanka where a number of people are only concerned with their economic interests.

San-Ho Correwyn herself has a very difficult time with the lack of information. Information has been withheld and files have disappeared. "I think there have been a lot of natural disasters in Korea, because everyone gets the same story. We feel we have been treated unfairly."

I think there have been many natural disasters in Korea, because everyone gets the same story. We feel we have been treated unfairly.

Correwyn advocates the right to information. Just finding out more - even if it doesn't tell an adoptee of their exact origins - would mean a lot. "But when you are actually at the door of a government service or a police service in the country of origin, you very often get the door in your nose."

Adoption break

How could adoption be better? By adjusting public opinion, Correwyn indicates: “The idea of ??giving a poor child a warm nest has to be removed. That really has to get out. "

In the short term, he also argues for an adoption break. "To take the time to think about this." Correwyn also does not think it makes sense to let so many new people enter the adoption process where the waiting times are already extremely long.

The number of adoptions is decreasing every year, Correwyn also points out. "In 2019, barely 39 children were adopted, both domestic and foreign adoptions. This is offset by millions of euros spent on adoption in Belgium. That is no longer correct. That is no longer in proportion. And that while adoptees have been begging for more for years. help and support. So I think we can spend those budgets better. "

I think we can better spend the bugets.

Correwyn is thinking, for example, of aftercare at the start of the adoption. But many people in their 40s and 50s also need help in their search for their origins. "So there my question is very concrete: give us more structural support."

Umbilical cord

The book '#HetGevoelGeadopteerd' by San-Ho and co-author Pia Dejonckheere has a double approach. 'We want to lower the threshold for adoptees to talk about their problems. But it is also a wake-up call to policymakers and all those involved in the adoption system to look at the side of the adoptee and to take this into account in policy. "

Obviously, what it feels like to be adopted is different for everyone, says Correwyn. "But there is a common thread, an umbilical cord that connects us: everyone wants to know their background at some point in their life. Not because they are not happy. No, there are also a lot of happy adoptions, and those people are "It is something fundamentally human. I hope that people who read the book get that out, and can look at adoption from a different perspective."

I hope that people who read the book can look at adoption from a different perspective.

'#HetGevoGadopted' was published by Garant