Erfurt (dpa/th) – The number of adoptions in Thuringia last year was higher than the long-term comparison. With 100 procedures, the value was above the average of the last 10 years of 98.3 procedures, as the State Office for Statistics announced on Wednesday in Erfurt. In 2021, 55 girls and 45 boys were adopted. 99 of the 100 adopted children had German citizenship.
Around half of the adopted children (51 percent) were under 3 years old, 9 children (9 percent) were between 3 and 5 years of age, 20 children were between 6 and 11 years of age and 20 children or adolescents (20 percent each) were aged between 12 and 17 years.
In 53 percent (2020: 60.2 percent) of the adoptions carried out, the new parents were reportedly not related to the children. Of these children, 49 (92.5 percent) were younger than 6 years. In contrast, children aged 6 years and older were predominantly adopted by relatives or stepfathers or stepmothers (90 percent).
According to the statisticians, the number of children and young people put up for adoption at the end of 2021 has fallen significantly. At the end of 2020, 68 children and young people were still registered for adoption, but by the end of 2021 there were only 24. In contrast, the youth welfare offices had received 155 applications from potential adoptive parents; at the end of 2020 there were 148 applications.
