Municipalities set record in forced adoptions - Lolland Municipality is responsible for every fourth of the forced adoptions

It is worrying that more children are adopted away without consent, says the researcher. Lolland Municipality is responsible for most forced adoptions in the country.

Several children are adopted away against the will of their parents.

Last year, 30 children were forcibly adopted, according to figures from the National Board of Appeal.

That is 9 more than in 2019 and 20 more than in 2018. Back in 2016, one child was forcibly adopted.

And it is a worrying development because there is not enough knowledge about forced adoptions, says adjunct professor at Aalborg University Inge Bryderup, who researches child placements.

- There is no research in Denmark, and the international can not be transferred to Danish conditions. So we have no idea how the children are doing later in life, she says.

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She also points out that a forced adoption is the most ultimate intervention because it permanently deprives the child of the opportunity to maintain contact with the biological parents.

- Before the decision is made, it should require a thorough observation, for example at a family day care institution, and I am worried that this does not always happen because it is an expensive measure, she says.

Every fourth forced adoption takes place in Lolland Municipality

Lolland Municipality accounts for most forced adoptions. Among the 58 children who were forcibly adopted or who had a case in court from 2015 to 2020, 14 were from Lolland.

This corresponds to every fourth child.

- For many years, it has been about the parents' legal security in Denmark. Now we are looking at how we can give the children the best childhood life, and I am a big supporter of that, says Signe Lund (S), who is chairman of the municipality's children and school committee.

- Instead of placing the children in a foster family, it is better for them to be forcibly adopted. That way, they become part of the family for the rest of their lives and not just until they turn 18.

The government wants more adoptions

The law on forced adoption was amended in 2015.

If it is up to the government, further changes are needed. The play "The children first", which was presented in January, points to the need for more permanent placements and more adoptions.

Most far-reaching, municipalities must be able to adopt forced adoptions more easily even before birth.

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