Adoption of children in Russia

2024: Stopping the adoption of children by foreigners in the Russian Federation

In 2024, the adoption of children by foreign citizens was completely stopped in Russia. In addition, all representative offices of foreign bodies of non-profit organizations (NPOs) in the field of adoption in Russia are closed. This was announced on September 25, 2024 by the Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Anna Kuznetsova.

According to her, from 2018 to 2023 inclusive, foreigners adopted 699 Russian children. These are, in particular, 529 children in 2018-2019, 164 children in 2020-2022 and six children in 2023. The leaders among the countries in terms of the number of children adopted from Russia were Italy (67%), Spain (8%), France and Argentina (7% each), as well as Germany (5%).

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Freepik

In 2024, this process [of adopting Russian children by foreigners] was completely stopped, "Kuznetsova quotes Interfax.

State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin noted that more than 120 thousand children "were taken out of the territory of the Russian Federation in all previous years and adopted in different parts of the world." However, how their fate developed further is for the most part unknown. Therefore, in Russia at the legislative level, various measures are being implemented to protect the rights of a small person. In particular, on September 25, 2024, State Duma deputies adopted at a plenary session a bill banning the adoption of children from the Russian Federation by citizens of countries where gender change is allowed. In this case, the refusal to adopt children from Russia or custody of them will affect citizens of several dozen states.

This decision aims to protect childhood and traditional values. The initiative was supported by the absolute majority of State Duma deputies. It is necessary to protect our children from the dangers that they may face during adoption or guardianship by citizens of foreign countries where gender change is allowed, Volodin said.[1]

2020: Moving the adoption procedure online

During the coronavirus pandemic, Russians began to adopt children online. This was reported on July 20, 2020 by Izvestia with reference to Elena Alshanskaya, a member of the Council under the Government of Russia on guardianship in the social sphere.

According to her, an interview with employees of the guardianship authorities, a psychological examination of the family, an inspection of housing, acquaintance of candidates with children are held in the format of a video conference. The collection of documents also takes place online. Personal presence is required only when receiving medical certificates and when taking a child. Moreover, usually the baby is taken outside the territory of the institution so that outsiders do not contact the rest of the children, she noted.

In the Russian Federation, children began to adopt online

Alshanskaya stressed that it was impossible to come up with a better solution in a pandemic, although personal contacts between foster parents and children are much more effective. She said that from March 1 to May 12, after online acquaintances, 29 babies from orphanages were transferred for adoption, 282 - for free care, 618 - to a foster family.

In Russia, it is worth continuing the practice of arranging children in families using remote technologies, according to a report on the results of public monitoring of the activities of organizations for orphans in connection with the spread of the new coronavirus infection. This document was prepared by members of the Council under the Government of Russia on issues of guardianship in the social sphere.

The new format for the device of children online is rather experimental and such families should be watched, believes Svetlana Shtukareva, chairman of the coordinating council of the Professional Guild of Psychologists. Without direct personal contact, it is difficult to feel another person and the development of relations in this case becomes even more unpredictable, the expert noted. Probably, the way out may be the continuation of online dating in the "guest mode," she suggested.^[2]

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