Danish authorities express concern about adoption from South Africa, but adoption cases are carried out anyway
Danish authorities express concern about adoption from South Africa, but adoption cases are carried out anyway
When international adoption to Denmark stopped in January, there were 11 ongoing cases which were decided to be completed. The majority are from South Africa.
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One of the concerns about adopting from South Africa is, according to the Appeals Board's letter, that there are challenges associated with the release procedure in the courts. (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)
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Danish authorities are concerned about whether adoptions from South Africa can take place on a legal basis.
This appears from a consultation letter from the Danish Appeals Authority, which is the supervisory authority in the area. The letter was sent to the adoption agency Danish International Adoption (DIA) on 3 June.
When international adoption stopped in January , there were 11 applicants on the waiting list as "ongoing cases", and the DIA is in the process of implementing those adoptions. This is shown in documents that DR has obtained access to.
In the majority of the cases, according to the document inspection, it concerns children from South Africa.
- It is deeply worrying that the Danish Appeals Board still does not find that DIA is able to mediate adoptions in a way that ensures that the adoption is legal, says Caroline Adolphsen, lecturer in welfare law at the law department at Aarhus University.
Read also : After revelations about illegal adoptions, the proceedings have stalled: 'It's a race against time'
DIA does not want to either confirm or deny whether there are currently Danish couples in South Africa to bring their adopted children home to Denmark.
Trust in the country from which the child is adopted
An inspection of documents shows that the Danish authorities concluded at the beginning of the year that DIA and the South African adoption agency Impilo deliberately violated both Danish and international rules in the area. The media Danwatch was also able to reveal this in February.
In the Danish Appeals Board's consultation letter to DIA, it is stated that, since 12 January, no information has been made known that diminishes the agency's concerns about whether "adoption mediation via Impilo can continue to take place on a legal, ethical and professionally sound basis."
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The Appeals Board is the central agency under the Ministry of Social Affairs that oversees DIA's mediation of adoptions from abroad to Denmark. (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)
Read also : The Minister of Social Affairs promises prospective adoptive parents lightning-fast answers
One of the concerns about adopting from South Africa is, according to the Appeals Board's letter, that there are challenges associated with the release procedure in the courts. In other words, how the biological mother has given up the child.
And if you don't trust the issuing country, in this case South Africa, it is not possible to guarantee that the cases are carried out correctly, despite stricter supervision, says Caroline Adolphsen.
- If that is the case, the adoptions must not be carried out - especially not when the problems that are pointed out are problems with the release process and with financial support. This points to the fact that there is a risk of trafficking in children, which is of course prohibited, says Caroline Adolphsen.
Expert: Ministry has a duty to 'look at the seams of the 11 cases'
It appears from the letter that the Board of Appeal has assessed that the security mechanisms in the South African adoption system are not sufficient. Therefore, in the opinion of the Danish Appeals Board, adoptions from the country must not continue when the ongoing cases have been completed.
Read also : Stolen children and lies about dead parents: Here are the biggest scandals about adoption
DR has asked the Ministry of Social Affairs how they, as an authority, in light of the Danish Appeals Board's concern about adoptions from South Africa, can ensure that the safety mechanisms are in place right now, when the ongoing cases are completed.
The Ministry of Social Affairs refers to the Danish Appeals Agency, which refers to DIA's accreditation conditions regarding the regulation or termination of collaborations with other countries.
But the ongoing cases can be carried out with reservations, says Frederik Waage, professor at the Department of Law at the University of Southern Denmark, specializing in administrative law.
- In my opinion, the Ministry of Social Affairs will thus have a stricter duty to look closely at the 11 cases and ensure that everything has gone properly. If this is the case, it will probably be possible to carry out the adoptions without any problems, he says.
Read also : Couple approved for adoption left in limbo: 'We feel forgotten by the system'
At the same time that the Danish Appeals Board has expressed serious criticism of DIA's cooperation with Impilo, the cooperation is therefore allowed to continue in relation to the ongoing cases.
DR has asked the Danish Appeals Board about what changes have been made to the supervision since the agency first raised criticism back in December 2023. The Danish Appeals Board is now carrying out intensified supervision.
The adoption agency DIA had the opportunity to comment on the Danish Appeals Board's consultation letter by 17 June at the latest. DIA informs DR that it has no comment on the matter as long as the consultation process is ongoing.
When it closed on 16 January, Denmark adopted children from six countries: South Africa, the Philippines, the Czech Republic, Taiwan and India.
You can watch or re-watch the DR Documentary 'The Great Adoption Theft', where David, in his search for the truth about his own adoption, reveals secrets about the Indian orphanage from which he and many others were adopted.
Danske myndigheder udtrykker bekymring om adoption fra Sydafrika, men adoptionssager gennemføres alligevel
Da international adoption til Danmark stoppede i januar, var der 11 igangværende sager, som man valgte at færdigbehandle. Størstedelen er fra Sydafrika.
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En af bekymringerne ved at adoptere fra Sydafrika er, ifølge Ankestyrelsens brev, at der er udfordringer forbundet med frigivelsesproceduren ved domstolene. (Foto: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)
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Danske myndigheder er bekymrede for, om adoptioner fra Sydafrika kan ske på et lovligt grundlag.
Det fremgår af et høringsbrev fra Ankestyrelsen, der er tilsynsmyndighed på området. Brevet blev sendt til adoptionsbureauet Danish International Adoption (DIA) d. 3. juni.
Da international adoption stoppede i januar, stod der 11 ansøgere på venteliste som "igangværende sager", og de adoptioner er DIA i gang med at gennemføre. Det viser dokumenter, DR har fået aktindsigt i.
I størstedelen af sagerne drejer det sig, ifølge aktindsigten, om børn fra Sydafrika.
- Det er dybt bekymrende, at Ankestyrelsen fortsat ikke finder, at DIA er i stand til at formidle adoptioner på en måde, der sikrer, at adoptionen er lovlig, siger Caroline Adolphsen, lektor i velfærdsret ved juridisk institut på Aarhus Universitet.
DIA ønsker ikke at hverken be- eller afkræfte, om der lige nu er danske par i Sydafrika for at hente deres adoptivbørn hjem til Danmark.
Tillid til det land, som barnet adopteres fra
En aktindsigt viser, at de danske myndigheder i starten af året konkluderede, at DIA og det sydafrikanske adoptionsbureau Impilo bevidst overtrådte både danske og internationale regler på området. Det kunne mediet Danwatch også afsløre i februar.
I Ankestyrelsens høringsbrev til DIA står, at man siden d. 12. januar ikke er blevet bekendt med oplysninger, der formindsker styrelsens bekymringer for, om ”adoptionsformidlingen via Impilo fortsat kan finde sted på et lovligt, etisk og fagligt forsvarligt grundlag.”
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Ankestyrelsen er den centrale styrelse under Socialministeriet der fører tilsyn med DIA's formidling af adoptioner fra udlandet til Danmark. (Foto: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Ritzau Scanpix)
Læs også: Socialministeren lover vordende adoptivforældre lynhurtige svar
En af bekymringerne ved at adoptere fra Sydafrika er, ifølge Ankestyrelsens brev, at der er udfordringer forbundet med frigivelsesproceduren ved domstolene. Altså, hvordan den biologiske mor har givet afkald på barnet.
Og hvis man ikke har tillid til afgiverlandet, i dette tilfælde Sydafrika, er det trods skærpet tilsyn ikke muligt at garantere, at sagerne foregår korrekt, siger Caroline Adolphsen.
- Hvis det er tilfældet, skal adoptionerne ikke gennemføres – særligt ikke, når de problemer, der påpeges, er problemer med frigivelsesprocessen og med økonomisk støtte. Dette peger nemlig i retning af, at der er risiko for handel med børn, hvilket selvfølgelig er forbudt, siger Caroline Adolphsen.
Ekspert: Ministerie har pligt til at 'se de 11 tilfælde efter i sømmene'
Det fremgår af brevet, at Ankestyrelsen har vurderet, at sikkerhedsmekanismerne i det sydafrikanske adoptionssystem ikke er tilstrækkelige. Derfor skal adoptioner fra landet, efter Ankestyrelsens vurdering, ikke fortsætte, når de igangværende sager er færdigbehandlet.
Læs også: Stjålne børn og løgne om døde forældre: Her er de største skandaler om adoption
DR har spurgt Socialministeriet, hvordan de som myndighed, i lyset af Ankestyrelsens bekymring om adoptioner fra Sydafrika, kan sikre, at sikkerhedsmekanismerne er på plads lige nu, hvor de igangværende sager gennemføres.
Socialministeriet henviser til Ankestyrelsen, der henviser til DIA's akkrediteringsvilkår omkring regulering eller ophør af samarbejder med andre lande.
Men de igangværende sager kan med forbehold godt gennemføres, siger Frederik Waage, professor ved Juridisk Institut på Syddansk Universitet med speciale i forvaltningsret.
- Socialministeriet vil således efter min vurdering have en skærpet pligt til at se de 11 tilfælde efter i sømmene og sikre, at alt er gået rigtig for sig. Er dette tilfældet, vil man formentlig uproblematisk kunne gennemføre adoptionerne, siger han.
Læs også: Par godkendt til adoption efterladt i uvished: 'Vi føler os glemt af systemet'
Samtidig med, at Ankestyrelsen har udtalt alvorlig kritik af DIA's samarbejde med Impilo, får samarbejdet altså lov til at fortsætte i forhold til de igangværende sager.
DR har spurgt Ankestyrelsen om, hvilke ændringer der er foretaget i tilsynet, siden styrelsen første gang rejste kritik tilbage i december 2023. Ankestyrelsen foretager nu skærpet tilsyn.
Adoptionsbureauet DIA havde mulighed for at komme med bemærkninger til Ankestyrelsens høringsbrev senest d. 17. juni. DIA oplyser til DR, at man ikke har nogen kommentar til sagen, så længe høringsprocessen er i gang.
Danmark adopterede ved lukningen d. 16. januar børn fra seks lande: Sydafrika, Filippinerne, Tjekkiet, Taiwan og Indien.
Du kan se eller gense DR Dokumentaren 'Det Store Adoptionstyveri', hvor David i sin jagt på sandheden om sin egen adoption, afslører hemmeligheder om det indiske børnehjem, han og mange andre er adopteret fra.