{
    "title": "Adoptions in Flanders at lowest level ever",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-09 08:34:36",
    "published_at": "2026-04-09 05:29:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/number-of-adoptions-at-lowest-level-ever-in-flanders",
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    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "number-of-adoptions-at-lowest-level-ever-in-flanders",
    "body": "<p><strong>In 2025, only 13 children were adopted in Flanders, the lowest number on record. All the adoptions were domestic, as adopting children from other countries has been forbidden since 2023.</strong></p><p>Before 2023, there were a couple of dozen foreign adoptions by Flemish parents each year. Because of several cases of abuse, foreign adoptions are currently not possible and will soon be banned permanently. The number of domestic adoptions went from 35 in 2010 to 13 in 2025, according to numbers collected by Flemish MP Katrien Schryvers of CD&amp;V.</p><p>In 2025, 377 families applied to become adoptive parents, and the waiting list is very long. The parents who adopted one of the 13 children in 2025 had to wait an average of 10 years and 4 months.</p><p>Schryvers sees a solution in foster care. &ldquo;Families that want to adopt are people who love children, but are often unaware of foster care, that&rsquo;s what we want to change,&rdquo; she said. \u200b </p><p>A new Flemish decree installs a joint preliminary process for adoption and foster care candidates. The intention is to have part of the preparation process for prospective adoptive and foster parents coincide. Parents would then be able to make their choice between adoption and foster care during the process.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><sub>#FlandersNewsService | Katrien Schryvers &copy; BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM</sub></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-cda7c5cd-53ca-4a61-9441-d618191bc8ab\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"http://prez.ly/nx8d\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F2302ceeb-4a6e-4b88-8ce1-1acc9e139c75%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=235160f21cce02ea815cbdfda272e9d7)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"http://prez.ly/nx8d\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"cda7c5cd-53ca-4a61-9441-d618191bc8ab\"\n           >\n                Flanders launches app to quickly find placements for foster children            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Flanders is launching a new app designed to help care providers quickly find foster families when a child urgently needs a place to stay. Flemish...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fflanders-launches-app-to-quickly-find-placements-for-foster-children&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n",
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            "description": "Flanders launches app to quickly find placements for foster children",
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    "author": {
        "id": 13157,
        "username": "flandersnewsservice@belga.be",
        "email": "flandersnewsservice@belga.be",
        "name": "Flanders News Service",
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        "created_at": "2022-03-07T09:25:52+00:00",
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