"The Council is of the opinion that intercountry adoption is not the best way of protecting children and calls upon the government to shift its focus and to protect these children by supporting the implementation and advancement of the youth protection system in the country of origin," the report said.
The council recommended the termination of collaboration with China, where supervision of procedures is difficult, as well as with the United States and EU member states, where authorities should instead place children with families inside their country, according to the council.
The report stressed that "the option of having children adopted impairs in itself the further advancement of the youth protection system," while higher demand in intercountry adoption leads to greater numbers of children being placed in children's homes.
Despite acknowledging that adoption from abroad allows children grow up in a prosperous country, the report stated that children benefit from growing up in their home state, with continuity in their care and education.
According to the Dutch News media outlet, 304 foreign children were adopted by Dutch couples last year, compared to 1,185 children in 2005.
