For the first time in 15 years, the number of intercountry adoptions to the United States has decreased, according to an Associated Press article by David Crary.

International adoptions by Americans dropped 9 percent, from 22,728 in 2005 to 20,679 in 2006, according to new figures released by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.

The State Department’s Web site notes that adoptions from mainland China decreased from 7,906 in Fiscal Year 2005 to 6,493 in 2006 (an 18 percent drop).

Adoptions from Russia decreased from 4,639 to 3,706, a 20 percent drop.

Adoptions from Korea decreased from 1,630 to 1,376, a 15 percent drop.

Adoptions from Ukraine decreased from 821 to 460, a 44 percent drop.

Adoptions from Kazakhstan decreased from 755 to 587, a 22 percent drop.

However, adoptions from several other countries increased.

Guatemala now ranks second in the number of children adopted by Americans (replacing Russia, which now ranks third). In 2005, 3,783 Guatemalan children found permanent homes in the U.S.; in 2006, 4,135 children were adopted, an 8 percent increase.

Adoptions from Ethiopia increased from 441 to 732, a 40 percent increase.

Adoptions from Colombia increased from 291 to 344, a 15 percent increase.

Adoptions from Haiti increased from 231 to 309, a 25 percent increase.

Adoptions from Liberia increased from 182 to 353, a 48 percent increase.

Reasons for the decrease:

Experts speculate that adoptions (particularly those from China and Russia) are decreasing because those countries are attempting to reform their child-welfare systems and promote domestic adoptions. During the past year or so, Russians, in particular, have expressed increasing doubts about international adoption, citing cases of abuse by adoptive parents.

China recently announced a new set of rules that will determine who can adopt, with priority given to married couples (more on that in the next post). These rules go into effect May 1.

Thomas Atwood, president of the National Council for Adoption, sees potential for increased U.S. adoptions from Brazil, Mexico and India.

Source: “Foreign adoptions by Americans plunge” by David Crary of The Associated Press, Seattle Times, Sunday, January 7, 2007