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Adoptions in Hong Kong fall, with few children listed and adoptive parents ‘wary of taking those with complex profiles’
- Most children up for adoption have special needs, and that puts off potential adoptive parents
- Fear of being labelled ‘bad parents’ stops mums from giving up their babies for adoption
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Negative attitudes are keeping down the number of babies available to adopt in Hong Kong, while couples willing to do so are wary about the children they choose, experts say.
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As of June this year, there were 101 children listed for adoption. According to the Social Welfare Department (SWD), 34 had disabilities, 33 were aged three or above, 29 had a complicated family background such as having a birth parent who was drug dependent or with mental health problems, and five had issues with their physical health.
The number of adoptions fell from 71 in 2016 to 59 last year. There was also a drop in how many Hong Kong children were taken in by foreigners, from 13 in 2016 to 10 last year.
Alia Eyres, CEO of Mother’s Choice, a charity which helps pregnant teenagers and children without families, says part of the reason for the decline in adoptions is the growing number of children with complex profiles.
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For example, the charity has seen more babies exposed to drugs in their mothers’ wombs. This makes it harder to place the children with families willing to adopt.
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