International adoptions in Catalonia fell by 37% in 2020

International adoptions in Catalonia fell by 37% last year according to data from the Catalan Institute for Foster Care and Adoption (ICAA). This dramatic fall seems to be related to the Covid-19 pandemic and its ensuing after effects. 

International adoption requests have fallen from 266 in 2019 to 148 in 2020, however, numbers have been dropping since 2015 when this was at 378. 

Agnès Russiñol, the director of the ICAA, explained to the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that what is most likely causing this drop in adoptions are “without doubt” mobility restrictions. 

As well as this, she stated that families are “very conscious” of the “implications” taking part in a long term international process in the middle of a global crisis, including economic considerations. 

Indeed, 17 families who adopted before March 13 were unable to reach the child who had been assigned to them in the months following, despite having legally become their parents. 

Out of these, 15 have now been able to reach their children, whilst two are still waiting, hoping to go and meet their children in China.

The countries from which most children were adopted from in Catalonia in 2020 were Vietnam, Colombia, Ivory Coast, India, and Madagascar.

Changing methods

Due to the global health crisis, methods for adoption have also had to be changed. All meetings which could be put online were transferred to this form. 

However, parts of the process such as house visits were kept in-person with adequate Covid-19 prevention measures.

National adoptions and foster care

National adoptions did not sense the same fall, with only 17 less taking place than last year, and in general are on the rise, being 50% higher than three years ago.

Russiñol put this down to the waiting time for adoptions being cut in half from six years to three. 

Foster care has also stayed at a mainly similar rate, falling by 19 although Russiñol assured that “families have always responded” to calls for housing.