The Association

We are an expert on the adoption experience and we produce information, offer peer support, and make a difference

We have approximately 2,900 adult members. We are an association for both domestic and international adoptees, those who consider adoption, those who are in the middle of the adoption process and those who have adopted from abroad or Finland. With our action we aim to support families touched by adoption, to take a stance on the public discussions on adoption, and to improve the societal standing of adoptive families. We coordinate activities in peer support and the improvement of adoption and we have an influence in different social work networks.

Together we are more!

One of the most important goals of Adoptioperheet ry’s activities has been to bring adoptive families to an equal standing with other families. Persistent influencing has been needed, and as our association’s word has begun to weigh more our voice has become louder. There is still lots to do – join us in making a difference!

  • 1997 The parental leave of an adoptive parent went from 100 days to 180 days. An adoptive father got a paternal leave of six days.
  • 1998 As the law changed the adoptive applicant’s right to announce the taking of family leave “as soon as possible” instead of two months stayed.
  • 2001 Maternal grant was allowed to all adoptive parents regardless of the child’s age.
  • 2002 Finland gained the adoption grant for fees caused by international adoption.
  • 2003 Adoptive fathers got equal paternal leave. Internationally adopted children under 12 were given automatic Finnish nationality.
  • 2004 Many municipalities begin to grant a 3-month paid period with parental leave.
  • 2006 Care leave was enabled for the adoptive parents of children over 3.
  • 2007 The adoptive mothers working for the state were given the right for a paid period at the beginning of the parental leave. The parental leave of an adoptive parent went to 200 days.
  • 2009 The adoption grant sums were raised.
  • 2010 The length of the paternity period was lengthened.
  • 2011 The STM parental leave task group supports the equal family leaves for adoptive families. The improvement of the equality of adoptive families is in the government programme.
  • 2012 The families’ point of view was taken into account in the renewed adoption law as Adoptioperheet ry was a part of the law-making task group. Adoptioperheet ry joined in Valvira adoption board’s plenary session.
  • 2013 Kaikkien Perheiden Suomi Network project begins, adoptive families are included in the child health centre guide.
  • 2015 The association is a part of the STM task group which addresses the family leaves of diverse families.
  • 2016 Adoptioperheet ry founds a task group for the interactivity of adoptive and child welfare fields.
  • 2017 Adoptioperheet ry and collaborative parties conduct a study on the adoption-related thoughts and attitudes of professionals meeting families.
  • 2018 Improvements on the family allowances of adoptive families, for example the extended parental leave period, taking single applicants into account in family leaves, family leaves affect also those who adopt children over 7 (more on our family benefits page)
  • 2019 Considerable raises in adoption grants (more information on our family benefits page), taking adoption into consideration in the new name law
  • 20xx Labor agreements, the accumulation of pensions in family leaves for those who take care of children over 3, the per diem allowance percentages of family leaves, removal of the requirement for the President’s birth country, the necessary knowledge on adoption for social workers and other professionals, the mention of adoption in the child protection laws, the national adoption program…

We have gathered various bases for motions and material to make it easier for you to influence locally

Check our edunvalvonta page!

We meet with many policy-makers and officials who we inform on the injustices faced by adoptive families.

Check our vaalit (elections) page!

Our association is national, independent of the adoptive service providers, and accepts as members anyone who has adopted either internationally or domestically, who considers adoption, adoptees, loved ones of adoptive families, or who support the goals of our association. Our association also has members outside Finland.

We work closely with Finnish adoption operatives and since the coming into effect of the new adoption law 1/7/2012 we have taken part under the STM in the adoption board’s plenary session in Valvira. We are a part of the Central Union for Child Welfare (LSKL). Regarding family leaves we influence in the Diverse families network. We are a member of the Nordic Adoption Councilin (NAC).

  • We organize member meetings, trainings and lectures on adoption-related topics.
  • We enable the activity of a country-wide peer support network.
  • We produce easily available information on adoption-related themes on both our own website and elsewhere online.
  • We publish the only solely adoption-focused publication currently released in Finland. Our membership magazine Adoptioperheet is published four times a year.
  • We inform and guide professionals who work in health and education.
  • We work together with the media.
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