Duties and organisation of the Finnish Adoption Board

The Finnish Adoption Board is a special expert, permission and supervisory authority and the Central Authority referred to in The Hague Adoption Convention. The Adoption Board is based at the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira).

The Adoption Board is appointed by the Government. The current Adoption Board began its term of service on 1 July 2022. The Board has a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and a necessary number of other members. The members each have a personal deputy member.

Composition of the Finnish Adoption Board (valvira.fi) (in Finnish)

The Board meets at plenary sessions and sectional meetings. The purpose of the plenary session is to monitor developments in adoption matters and, when necessary, to take initiatives on adoption-related issues. Other matters in the purview of the Board are handled by its sections.

Section for adoption permission matters

The purpose of the section for adoption permission matters is to process matters that concern granting adoption permissions, amending the terms and conditions of permissions, extending the validity of permissions and evoking permissions. The adoption permission section also processes notifications regarding changes in the circumstances of a prospective adopter.

Section for international matters

The duties of the international section are to:

• supervise the operations of service providers and their cooperation with foreign service providers,
• grant licences for providing intercountry adoption services and revoke such licences,
• grant licences for Finnish service providers to cooperate with a foreign service provider and revoke such licences,
• collect and maintain information on legislation and practices regarding adoption and intercountry adoption services in other countries,
• share the information so collected with authorities and service providers upon request,
• monitor compliance with The Hague Adoption Convention in Finland and if necessary take action to ensure compliance,
• liaise with central authorities in other countries that are signatories to The Hague Adoption Convention, or other bodies managing the duties of said central authorities, in order to fulfil the purpose of that Convention and to exchange information as referred to in that Convention,
• liaise with designated national authorities in countries that are signatories to the European Convention on the Adoption of Children made at Strasbourg on 27 November 2008 to exchange information as referred to in that Convention,
• issue reports as referred to in section 78 and statements as referred to in section 79 of the Adoption Act,
• grant the approvals referred to in Article 17(c) of The Hague Adoption Convention and issue the certificate referred to in section 8 of the Government Decree on Adoption in cases where service provider has not been used,
• Perform those functions specified for the Central Authority in The Hague Adoption Convention that have not been delegated to any other body by law or government decree.

See: Permanent Bureau of The Hague Conference on Private International Law (hcch.net)

Ministry plans and steers general adoption counselling and services
The general planning, guidance and supervision of adoption counselling and intercountry adoption services fall within the purview of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

For further information, visit the Ministry website: Adoption (stm.fi) (in Finnish)