Ankestyrelsen to handle ongoing adoption cases

Starting Friday, the Ankestyrelsen (Appeals Board) takes over the facilitation and management of international adoptions in Denmark, following the closure of the country’s sole adoption facilitator, Danish International Adoption (DIA). The board will assume responsibility for the cases of applicants on the waitlist for international adoption, although the current number of applicants is unspecified. As of October 1, there were 32 applicants on the waitlist. The Ankestyrelsen will also support adopted individuals seeking information on their cases, provide guidance on contacting birth countries, and send follow-up reports to the child’s country of origin. The transition comes after the Social and Housing Ministry suspended adoptions in January from the last five countries DIA serviced, due to media reports of irregularities and illegal adoptions practices. The DIA announced its closure in mid-January.