There is* still money available to search for biological parents – and then what?

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The project to trace origins is being extended by a year. But the federal government and the cantons cannot reach an agreement.

For decades, Swiss couples adopted babies from abroad  - often under questionable and illegal circumstances. Now the Back to the Roots association can  temporarily continue to support those affected in their search for their origins in Sri Lanka.

The Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors (KKJPD) is extending the care and support offer, which was limited to the end of 2024, for one year. The federal government and the cantons are providing Back to the Roots with a maximum of 250,000 francs per year. 

Unclear who is responsible for adoptees

Adopted people who were separated from their biological parents under unclear circumstances sometimes suffer greatly. To this day, the federal government and the cantons pass the financial and political responsibility on to each other. "It is clear that the cantons are responsible for supporting those affected in their search for their origins," KKJPD Secretary General Florian Düblin told the Observer. However, the KKJPD will hand over this dossier "because we are largely not responsible."

In some cantons, the responsible adoption authorities are part of the Justice and Police Department, in others they belong to the Health Department. Düblin: "The cantons are currently no further ahead on this issue than they were two years ago; there is currently no inter-cantonal coordination." 

“The extension of this project is very important as a commitment to the people affected.”

Celin Fässler, is involved in the Back to the Roots association for adopted children

Just last autumn, the Council of States rejected a demand that the federal government should finance support services offered by organizations such as Back to the Roots. The National Council had previously approved the parliamentary initiative. Celin Fässler from the Back to the Roots association says: "The extension of this project is very important as a commitment to the people affected." 

Because such research into origins usually takes a long time, the number of people who seek help from Back to the Roots is growing. The contact point currently supports around 70 people. The association focuses on those affected from Sri Lanka . Adoptees from other countries can turn to the adoption authority in their canton of residence, but often receive insufficient support. These offices often have neither the necessary capacity nor the know-how for complicated international research.

Illegal adoptions from other countries

What will happen after 2025 is unclear. KKJPD Secretary General Düblin has announced a meeting with all relevant government councillors and Federal Councillor Beat Jans for the autumn.

Since the 1960s, babies have been brought to Switzerland for adoption not only from Sri Lanka or India, but also from Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, India, Colombia, Korea, Lebanon, Peru and Romania. This was shown at the end of 2023 by an archive analysis by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences on behalf of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.

The Department of Justice and Police stated: "The number of entry permits issued suggests that several thousand adopted children could have been affected by the irregularities during the period under investigation."

Finding biological parents: This is where adopted children get help

• Adopted people from Sri Lanka:  Back to the Roots , info@backtotheroots.ch
• Adoptees from other countries: Contact the adoption authority in your canton. A list of the responsible authorities can be found on the website of the Federal Office of Justice (see address list of the central authorities of the cantons).