DanAdopt forced to stop adoptions from Ethiopia

The Ministry of Social Affairs has decided to close Danadopt's adoptions of children from Ethiopia because there are doubts about whether the agency's mediation of adoptions from the African country is ethically and legally sound.

The Ministry of Social Affairs is now closing down adoption agency DanAdopt's adoptions of children from Ethiopia, DR News has learned.

In addition, DanAdopt must also account for the adoption process in all other countries from which they adopt children.

The other adoption agency in Denmark, AC Børnehjælp, must also account for their adoptions of children from Ethiopia. However, they are still allowed to continue their adoptions from Ethiopia until their account has been assessed by the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Frustrated mothers visit embassy

The ministry's decision is based, among other things, on DR News' documentation of the problems in the adoption industry.

According to Minister of Social Affairs and Integration Karen Hækkerup (S), trust in Danadopt has disappeared.

- Unfortunately, I no longer have the necessary confidence in DanAdopt's mediation of adoptions from Ethiopia, when the Danish Social Appeals Board assesses that there is doubt as to whether the adoptions are always carried out ethically and legally. Therefore, I have made the decision to stop DanAdopt's mediation of children from Ethiopia. It is a far-reaching decision that I am disappointed about and sad that I have to make, because there are many children waiting to have a parent couple in Denmark. But it is also a necessary decision. Because no one, neither children, their biological parents nor the adoptive parents, can live with there being doubt about how the child has been conveyed to them, says the Minister of Social Affairs.

She is now awaiting the report from DanAdopt, which will show whether the adoption agency is working ethically and legally.

- Only when we are certain that the situation has been rectified can DanAdopt again arrange for children from Ethiopia, says Karen Hækkerup.

DR Nyheder has been working for the past month to investigate whether international conventions have been complied with when it comes to adoption from Ethiopia.

In this regard, four Ethiopian women who have adopted their children to Denmark have contacted the Danish embassy to express their despair and frustration that they have felt persuaded and have been promised contact with their biological children, which has subsequently not been fulfilled.

Criticism of DanAdopt

In addition, DR Nyheder has documented that so-called child harvesters have been used in several cases of DanAdopt's adoptions in Ethiopia. Child harvesters are intermediaries who are used to entice parents to adopt their children.

It is partly due to this objectionable approach that the Ministry of Social Affairs is now shutting down DanAdopt's activities.

You can see much more about DanAdopt's use of so-called child harvesters in 21 Sunday on Sunday.

Are you affected by the Ministry of Social Affairs' stop of DanAdopt's adoptions from Ethiopia? Write to DR Nyheder at 1212@dr.dk