Flanders becomes stricter for adoptive countries: “Those who do not comply, fly off the list”

After a damning report about fraud in intercountry adoption, Flanders wants to check more closely with which countries it still cooperates. A risk analysis will be carried out for each country based on six criteria. Countries that do not meet this requirement will be removed from the list. Especially African countries with corrupt governments are targeted. "It is our absolute priority to exclude child trafficking and trauma."

At the beginning of September, the bomb exploded in adoption country. After a voluminous and damning report on human trafficking and fraud in intercountry adoption, Flemish Minister of Family Wouter Beke (CD&V) wanted to go through with it. Following the example of the Netherlands, he himself proposed an adoption break of two years. Ultimately, Beke was called back by coalition partner N-VA. A reform was allowed, a revolution was not.

Today, Beke put a new plan on the table: six strict selection criteria, so that the bad apples are thrown out of the basket. Countries that do not meet these criteria will be removed from the list. It is expected that a large number, read: especially African countries, will no longer qualify.

Traceability

The main requirement is traceability. Flanders must be able to trace through which steps it has been decided in the country of origin to proceed with intercountry adoption. “What we do not want is a process in which a home can decide for itself to take in a certain child and then indicate after a while that the child is eligible for adoption, without having followed a process within youth care”, says Beke. “Traceability is also important for adoptees looking for the story behind their adoption, and for prospective parents who want to make sure that the best interests of the child have been carefully considered.”

Flanders also wants to be sure that enough steps have been taken to receive the child in its own country. Has there been an active search for the extended family of the child in order to find a place within that circle of its own family? Have you been looking long enough for a solution in your own country? Intercountry adoption is therefore only allowed as a last resort.

Corruption

A more controversial selection criterion is the extent to which a country is known for corruption. In short: Beke no longer wants to cooperate with corrupt countries. For example, cooperation is stopped with countries where the costs for adoption are inexplicably high. “The practice whereby candidate adopters pay certain amounts to the home where the adopted child lives or to the person who mediates, carries the risk of abuses in the adoption process,” explains Beke. Adoptees and prospective adopters should be able to rest assured that there are no financial interests involved in the adoption.

African countries

Countries that do not pass the strict test are immediately excluded. “The cooperation with those countries will be terminated immediately,” says Beke. If you have already assigned a child, don't worry. These files are processed according to the current system. The other candidates can focus on other countries of origin with which Flanders still cooperates.

In practice this means that mainly African countries will disappear. This means that the number of countries with which Flanders still works for intercountry adoption is becoming smaller and smaller, while the demand from candidate adopters is still much greater than the supply. It is no secret that Beke herself is not in favor of intercountry adoption and wants to lead candidates to options within their own country, such as foster care. By drastically limiting the number of countries, Beke quietly carries out a small revolution.