Adoptions: Forties highlights the need for support policies
20.10.2025
Adopting a child in Italy is becoming increasingly difficult. Data from the Ministry of Justice shows a marked decline: domestic adoptions have decreased from 1,290 in 2001 to 866 in 2021, while international adoptions have plummeted from 3,915 to 598 in the same period. Among the reasons identified are the high cost of procedures, the lengthy and complex process, the lack of support in the post-adoption phase, and partly the growing prevalence of medically assisted procreation (MAP).
The analysis is part of the Forties project, funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and dedicated to studying motherhood at an advanced age. The research team involves the Universities of Padua, Bologna, and Milan-Bicocca, coordinated by Alessandra Minello from the University of Padua. "The available statistics are few and outdated," explain researchers Elena Andreoni and Alessandra Decataldo, "but the trend is clear: in twenty years, adoptions have almost halved, and international ones have reduced to less than one-sixth."
The process for couples remains long and demanding. Only married couples or those living together for at least three years, with an age difference between the adopters and the adopted child of between 18 and 45 years, can apply. Psycho-social and health suitability is assessed by multidisciplinary teams. The wait for a domestic adoption typically lasts two to three years, while for international adoption it can take up to five years, with costs in some cases exceeding 25,000 euros. Most adopted children come from Asia (33%), Latin America (28%), Eastern Europe (28%), and Africa (10%).
There has also been a decline in declarations of availability for adoption: from 12,901 in 2001 to 7,970 in 2021, with a low point in 2020, due in part to the pandemic. Applications for the adoption of foreign minors have dropped by 75% in twenty years.
Among the causes, the researchers highlight the decreasing number of couples willing to adopt, due to economic and social reasons, and the possibility of resorting to MAP, which allows the pursuit of the desire for biological parenthood. Internationally, many countries have limited or suspended adoptions abroad, preferring to favour fostering and domestic adoption. Improvements in social and health policies in countries like China, Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus have reduced abandonments and increased domestic adoptions. The implementation of the Hague Convention has also introduced greater safeguards for minors, but has lengthened the process, increased costs, and complicated procedures. Furthermore, international adoption has a high average cost and requires energy and time for travel and long waits, which contemporary couples often cannot afford.
"But even the post-adoption path is not without obstacles," conclude the researchers. "The critical issues concern the absence of institutionalised and continuous paths, the inadequacy of local services which struggle to provide constant and specialised support over time, and the lack of a widespread culture of adoption, especially in schools and society in general, with negative repercussions on the well-being of families and adopted individuals, who are often exposed to misunderstandings and stereotypes. Adopting in Italy today is a long, demanding, and often arduous process. To facilitate access to this institution, greater awareness of the adoption process, more support, and more equity in all its stages are needed."
