Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work , Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / In South Africa, there are thousands of children who cannot be raised by their parents or relatives and consequently unrelated, legal adoption is usually considered to be in their best interests. South Africa has ratified international agreements, which emphasise that adoptable children have a right to grow up in their country of origin and intercountry adoption should be considered ‘a last resort’. The Children’s Act (No. 38 of 2005) legally entrenches several innovations to facilitate adoptable children being raised in South Africa. Accredited adoption agencies have made ongoing efforts to make adoption more accessible to South Africans, but the number of South Africans legally adopting unrelated children adoption is small and continues to decline. To help address this pressing child welfare problem, the main aim of this research was to develop a grounded theory explaining what factors affect the decision-making processes of urban black South Africans regarding legally adopting unrelated child. This population group was focused on because they presented as a promising pool of prospective adopters. It was reasoned that to facilitate domestic adoption, policy makers and practitioners need to gain a clearer understanding of what factors dissuade black South Africans from legally adopting unrelated children. A qualitative inquiry was conducted using the Corbin and Strauss approach to the grounded theory method. Personal interviews were conducted with 39 purposively selected black participants that were divided into five cohorts, namely i) adopters ii) adoption applicants in the process of being assessed as prospective adopters iii) adoption applicants who did not to enter the assessment process iv) social workers specialising in the field of adoption and v) South African citizens who have some knowledge of legal adoption practice. The grounded theory emerging was ‘Tensions surrounding adoption policy and practice and perceptions and experiences of adoption.’ Essentially this grounded theory is based on five categories: Meanings of Kinship; Information and Support; Cultural and Material Mobility; Parenthood, Gender and Identity and Perceptions of Parenting and Childhood. It is recommended that adoption policy and practice be shaped to reflect a balanced child-centred and adult-centred approach. Furthermore, recruitment strategies should be based on findings at a grassroots level. Key words: legal adoption; adoptable children; Africanisation; decision-making processes, adoption assessment process and grounded theory. / GR2018

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Narratiewe navors:ing is gedoen om vas te stel watter rol geloof speel in die aanneemgesin. Onderhoudvoering met aanneemouers het die kernfaktor in die funksionering van die gesin as die aanvaarding of verwerping van die verskil tussen gesinne wat deur aanneming saamgestel is en gesinne wat deur geboorte saamgestel is, uitgewys. V erwerping strem verhoudinge binne die gesin, maak die gesin kwesbaar vir stres en vervreemding tussen ouer en kind. Aanvaarding, aan die antler kant, beteken dat die ouer die behoefte van sy kind om met sy natuurlike ouers in aanrak:ing te kom, erken. So 'n houding bring 'n verbetering in die ouer-kindverhouding mee en gevolglik ook in die vennoe om ontwikkelingskrisisse te hanteer. Geloofkan 'n rol speel om an.gs en selftwyfel by die aanneemouers as gevolg van die onnatuurlike samestelling van die gesin te besweer, sodat hulle die verskil aanvaar en sodoende 'n gesonder perspektief op gesinwees ontwikkel. / Narrative research was done in order to establish the role of faith in the adoptive family. In interviews with adoptive parents it was found that the crucial factor in the functioning of the family is the acceptance or rejection of the differences between families created by adoption and those created by childbirth. Rejection hampers relationships within the family and renders it vulnerable to stress and enstrangement between parent and child. Acceptance on the other hand means that the parent recognises the need of the child to connect with his birth parents. This latter attitude results in improved relationships between parent and child and in more effectiveness in coping with developmental crises. Faith can play a role to cl.ispell the anxciety and self-doubt of adoptive parents resulting from the unnatural constitution of their family, accept the differences and in that way may contribute to a healthier perspective on the family. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M.Th.(Pastoral Theraphy)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Narratiewe navors:ing is gedoen om vas te stel watter rol geloof speel in die aanneemgesin. Onderhoudvoering met aanneemouers het die kernfaktor in die funksionering van die gesin as die aanvaarding of verwerping van die verskil tussen gesinne wat deur aanneming saamgestel is en gesinne wat deur geboorte saamgestel is, uitgewys. V erwerping strem verhoudinge binne die gesin, maak die gesin kwesbaar vir stres en vervreemding tussen ouer en kind. Aanvaarding, aan die antler kant, beteken dat die ouer die behoefte van sy kind om met sy natuurlike ouers in aanrak:ing te kom, erken. So 'n houding bring 'n verbetering in die ouer-kindverhouding mee en gevolglik ook in die vennoe om ontwikkelingskrisisse te hanteer. Geloofkan 'n rol speel om an.gs en selftwyfel by die aanneemouers as gevolg van die onnatuurlike samestelling van die gesin te besweer, sodat hulle die verskil aanvaar en sodoende 'n gesonder perspektief op gesinwees ontwikkel. / Narrative research was done in order to establish the role of faith in the adoptive family. In interviews with adoptive parents it was found that the crucial factor in the functioning of the family is the acceptance or rejection of the differences between families created by adoption and those created by childbirth. Rejection hampers relationships within the family and renders it vulnerable to stress and enstrangement between parent and child. Acceptance on the other hand means that the parent recognises the need of the child to connect with his birth parents. This latter attitude results in improved relationships between parent and child and in more effectiveness in coping with developmental crises. Faith can play a role to cl.ispell the anxciety and self-doubt of adoptive parents resulting from the unnatural constitution of their family, accept the differences and in that way may contribute to a healthier perspective on the family. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th.(Pastoral Theraphy)