The chairman of the Icelandic Adoption Society says the Icelandic government does not do enough to help parents looking to adopt children from overseas, and that the system itself is prejudiced towards the practice.
Hörður Svavarsson, speaking to RÚV, contends that the process of adopting a child from abroad takes entirely too long, on the Icelandic government’s end of things. Despite a high demand, not a single crown from the state is put towards adoption services, he contends.
Furthermore, he believes the system itself is prejudiced against Icelandic parents adopting foreign children. He points out that the government is still dragging its feet when it comes to working out adoption procedures for parents – couples who wish to adopt need to get the green light from Icelandic authorities first, a process that can take years.
He adds that there is but one ministerial employee, with eight assistants, who handles all of Iceland’s adoption requests.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Ögmundur Jónasson told reporters that he intends to make it his goal to expedite change for the better with regards to Icelandic adoption services.