Society
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Estonia's Child Welfare System Faces Strain as Adoptions Decline
Estonia's social support network is under increasing pressure as the number of adoptions and new foster family placements fell in 2025, even while the total count of minors living in substitute or family homes rose to 725.
- —In 2025, Estonia experienced a decrease in both adoptions and new foster family placements compared to the previous year, while the number of children living in substitute and family homes increased.
- —New foster placements fell by nearly a quarter, from 47 in 2024 to 36 in 2025, with a majority of these new placements involving children under five years old.
- —Adoptions also declined, with 27 children adopted in 2025, down from an unspecified number in 2024, and new adoption applications dropped from 23 to 17.
- —The number of children residing in substitute or family homes rose to 725 by the end of 2025, up from 714 a year prior, with approximately 70% of these children being over 12 years old.
- —Interest in fostering and adoption appears to be waning, as evidenced by a drop in new foster family applications (30 in 2025 vs. 37 in 2024) and adoption applications (17 in 2025 vs. 23 in 2024).
- —The Social Insurance Board (SKA) plans to survey public attitudes in 2026 to understand factors influencing decisions to foster or adopt, citing global pressures and societal attitudes as potential influences.
Recap
A statistical downturn in adoptions and foster care in Estonia points to a widening gap between the number of children needing homes and the public's capacity or willingness to provide them. The government's planned survey indicates official recognition that this is not a temporary fluctuation but a deeper societal issue requiring analysis. The system faces a significant risk of being overburdened, particularly for older children, if the trend of waning public participation continues.