To address a gap in the empirical literature on Educational Psychology (EP) practice and on adoption, and to gain perspectives from the Local Authority (LA), this thesis describes collaborative action research conducted by an Educational Psychologist (EP) with adoptive parents to support their communications with school staff. Participants were members of an Adoption Support Group and colleagues in Social Care. Information was gathered via focus groups and semi-structured questionnaires to ascertain the types of difficulties expressed by adoptive parents and inform the processes of communication systems. Participatory action research empowered participants to engage in meaningful and purposeful actions of planning, designing and evaluating information. The research narrative reports on first person inquiry through personal reflection and learning. Second person inquiry was generated in the course of research interactions with participants and the data that emerged from their realities to inform practical learning in action. Third person inquiry moved towards thinking around explanations for issues and the generation of knowledge. Knowledge was developed about parents’ perspectives on the barriers and enabling factors involved in their communications with school staff. The action research approach captured the potential of the insider position to generate rich data in situ while promoting a collaborative response to the social situation faced by the adopters when communicating with school staff. My insider position as researcher, holding multiple roles as an adoptive parent, as an EP and LA officer, is actively acknowledged as influencing understanding and the conceptualisations of the findings. The participants collaborated in the generation of a resource that provided opportunities for insight into issues to improve working practice and may provide a tool to allow parents to communicate effectively with school staff. The resource supported two main recognised functions: practical structure and emotional support. Empowering approaches were those that respected their knowledge, used their language and meanings in an emancipatory way that removed barriers, and were inclusive of them and their children. Communication is enhanced by and depends on systems that are empowering for parents and staff to co-construct shared understandings.

Submitted to the Faculty of Theology and Religion Studies in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Theology in the Department of Practical Theology at the University of Zululand, 2004. / A literary critique is offered on the publication "Theology in a New Key: Responding to Liberation Themes", by Robert M. Brown. His view of Christian ministry differs fundamentally from the documented ministry of the early Church, described by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. A comparative analysis is presented in this dissertation. A brief review is made of the Christian Church in South Africa, with reference to early Christian missionaries who helped establish the Christian faith in this country. The devastation caused to the Church and the nation by fifty years of Apartheid is discussed. Attitudes towards the role of the Christian Church in society differ according to religious or philosophical belief. A brief examination of Atheism, Agnosticism, Deism, and Theism is undertaken, and conclusions drawn concerning their attitudes towards the Christian Church. Situational Ethics is the practical outworking of many religious and philosophical views in the 21st century, and is here exposed as unbiblical. It is also illogical, in that it expects the Christian Church to provide 'social convenience', while offering no personal commitment Socio-medical aspects of South Africa's monstrous HIV/AIDS epidemic are presented, and a case study done of an orphanage in KwaZulu-Natal, to establish the precise nature, financial viability, and balance of spiritual ministry within this Christian Care Centre. Recommendations for effective and biblical Christian ministry in the 'new' South Africa are presented.

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

No description available.

Thesis (Psy.D.)--James Madison University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

O tema adoção está em debate, atualmente, tanto na mídia (reportagens, depoimentos, novelas, filmes), na academia (monografias, dissertações, teses, livros, eventos científicos), como na sociedade (promulgação de leis, formação de grupos de apoio e uma associação nacional desses grupos). Esforços têm sido feitos para difundir uma nova cultura da adoção em que se priorizem as necessidades e os direitos da criança. Entre estes se encontra o de saber sobre sua origem. A adoção tem como um dos fundamentos a ideia de que a integração de uma criança a uma nova família abre-lhe possibilidades para a reconstrução de sua identidade, a partir do conhecimento de sua origem, favorecendo, consequentemente, uma interação familiar mais satisfatória. Sua colocação em um novo lar pressupõe o estabelecimento de inéditas redes de relações, as quais irão necessitar de diversos componentes emocionais a serem dispensados à criança, como: amor, carinho, atenção, comprometimento e respeito diante de sua história pregressa. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo geral identificar, na perspectiva de filhos adotivos adultos, as reações e as mudanças ocorridas na sua vida após o conhecimento de sua origem. Especificamente almeja-se compreender: como se deu esse conhecimento; sua importância na organização da identidade do(a) filho(a) adotivo(a); como esses filhos passaram a perceber seus pais adotivos bem como a si mesmos; como se posicionam frente a mitos, medos, crenças e preconceitos que permeiam o imaginário social. Para alcançar os objetivos propostos optou-se pela metodologia qualitativa. Foram entrevistados oito adultos, de ambos os sexos, que tinham conhecimento de sua origem, e os dados obtidos foram analisados com base na técnica da análise de conteúdo temática. Os resultados indicam que: 1) embora tenha variado a idade em que tomaram conhecimento de sua origem, os participantes consideram fundamental esse conhecimento e propõem que toda criança adotada tenha esse direito; 2) as motivações para a entrega da criança variaram, predominando as dificuldades financeiras; 3) existem diferenças nas reações entre aqueles que souberam de sua condição desde cedo e os que souberam na adolescência ou vida adulta; 4) apesar das perdas sofridas, a maioria se mostrou satisfeita com a família adotiva, demonstrando sentimentos de afeto, gratidão e reconhecimento de sua importância para sua sobrevivência e formação da sua personalidade; 5) todos se posicionaram contra os preconceitos e mitos que perpassam a condição de filho(a) adotivo(a). Espera-se contribuir para dar visibilidade à causa, buscando estimular uma maior conscientização por parte da sociedade para a superação dos mitos e preconceitos que ainda rondam a adoção. / The adoption issue is being debated currently in the media (articles, interviews, novels, movies), colleges (monographs, dissertations, theses, books, scientific events), and society (enactment of laws, formation of support groups and also a national association of these groups). Efforts have been made to spread a new culture of adoption, which prioritizes childrens rights and needs. Among these, first of all, the right to know about their origin. Adoption has, as the most important of its principles, childs integration in new families, which gives them the possibility of a new identity reconstruction, once they have the knowledge about their origin, consequently supporting a new pleasant family interaction. Their adaptation in a new place, purpose the establishment of new family bands, which is going to need different and new emotional components: love, affection, attention, commitment and above all of it, respect to their progress history. This research has a general objective: to understand and identify, on adopted adults perspective, if there were changes, and what those changes were, what happened in their lives after that they had knowledge about their origin. Specifically the intention is: to understand how this knowledge was taken, and the importance it has in the adoptees identity organization; to comprehend how adoptees started to perceive their new parents and themselves; what their position when it comes to myths, fears, beliefs and prejudices is, permeating the social imaginary. To achieve the proposed objective, we opted for a qualitative methodology. Eight adults were interviewed, both genders, those who had knowledge about their origin, and the context was analyzed based on the thematic technique of analysis content. Results indicate that: 1) although varied the age that they became aware of their origin, the participants consider essential that knowledge and propose that every adopted child has this right; 2) motivations for child adopting vary, prevailing financial difficulties; 3) there are different reactions between those who early knew their condition and those who got this piece of information when they were teenagers; 4) despite losses, the majority was satisfied with their adoptive family, indicating affection feelings, gratitude and recognition of their importance for survival and formation of their personality; 5) they were against prejudice and myths that pervade the condition of adoptive person; Its expected to contribute, aiming to highlight the issue, seeking to stimulate a greater awareness on the part of society to overcome the myths and prejudices that still roam the adoption.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:08:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 marciana_silva_souza.pdf: 1238261 bytes, checksum: a748d2db001ecd8986c24fd84bcf740e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-11-18 / The adoption issue is being debated currently in the media (articles, interviews, novels, movies), colleges (monographs, dissertations, theses, books, scientific events), and society (enactment of laws, formation of support groups and also a national association of these groups). Efforts have been made to spread a new culture of adoption, which prioritizes children s rights and needs. Among these, first of all, the right to know about their origin. Adoption has, as the most important of its principles, child s integration in new families, which gives them the possibility of a new identity reconstruction, once they have the knowledge about their origin, consequently supporting a new pleasant family interaction. Their adaptation in a new place, purpose the establishment of new family bands, which is going to need different and new emotional components: love, affection, attention, commitment and above all of it, respect to their progress history. This research has a general objective: to understand and identify, on adopted adults perspective, if there were changes, and what those changes were, what happened in their lives after that they had knowledge about their origin. Specifically the intention is: to understand how this knowledge was taken, and the importance it has in the adoptees identity organization; to comprehend how adoptees started to perceive their new parents and themselves; what their position when it comes to myths, fears, beliefs and prejudices is, permeating the social imaginary. To achieve the proposed objective, we opted for a qualitative methodology. Eight adults were interviewed, both genders, those who had knowledge about their origin, and the context was analyzed based on the thematic technique of analysis content. Results indicate that: 1) although varied the age that they became aware of their origin, the participants consider essential that knowledge and propose that every adopted child has this right; 2) motivations for child adopting vary, prevailing financial difficulties; 3) there are different reactions between those who early knew their condition and those who got this piece of information when they were teenagers; 4) despite losses, the majority was satisfied with their adoptive family, indicating affection feelings, gratitude and recognition of their importance for survival and formation of their personality; 5) they were against prejudice and myths that pervade the condition of adoptive person; It s expected to contribute, aiming to highlight the issue, seeking to stimulate a greater awareness on the part of society to overcome the myths and prejudices that still roam the adoption. / O tema adoção está em debate, atualmente, tanto na mídia (reportagens, depoimentos, novelas, filmes), na academia (monografias, dissertações, teses, livros, eventos científicos), como na sociedade (promulgação de leis, formação de grupos de apoio e uma associação nacional desses grupos). Esforços têm sido feitos para difundir uma nova cultura da adoção em que se priorizem as necessidades e os direitos da criança. Entre estes se encontra o de saber sobre sua origem. A adoção tem como um dos fundamentos a ideia de que a integração de uma criança a uma nova família abre-lhe possibilidades para a reconstrução de sua identidade, a partir do conhecimento de sua origem, favorecendo, consequentemente, uma interação familiar mais satisfatória. Sua colocação em um novo lar pressupõe o estabelecimento de inéditas redes de relações, as quais irão necessitar de diversos componentes emocionais a serem dispensados à criança, como: amor, carinho, atenção, comprometimento e respeito diante de sua história pregressa. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo geral identificar, na perspectiva de filhos adotivos adultos, as reações e as mudanças ocorridas na sua vida após o conhecimento de sua origem. Especificamente almeja-se compreender: como se deu esse conhecimento; sua importância na organização da identidade do(a) filho(a) adotivo(a); como esses filhos passaram a perceber seus pais adotivos bem como a si mesmos; como se posicionam frente a mitos, medos, crenças e preconceitos que permeiam o imaginário social. Para alcançar os objetivos propostos optou-se pela metodologia qualitativa. Foram entrevistados oito adultos, de ambos os sexos, que tinham conhecimento de sua origem, e os dados obtidos foram analisados com base na técnica da análise de conteúdo temática. Os resultados indicam que: 1) embora tenha variado a idade em que tomaram conhecimento de sua origem, os participantes consideram fundamental esse conhecimento e propõem que toda criança adotada tenha esse direito; 2) as motivações para a entrega da criança variaram, predominando as dificuldades financeiras; 3) existem diferenças nas reações entre aqueles que souberam de sua condição desde cedo e os que souberam na adolescência ou vida adulta; 4) apesar das perdas sofridas, a maioria se mostrou satisfeita com a família adotiva, demonstrando sentimentos de afeto, gratidão e reconhecimento de sua importância para sua sobrevivência e formação da sua personalidade; 5) todos se posicionaram contra os preconceitos e mitos que perpassam a condição de filho(a) adotivo(a). Espera-se contribuir para dar visibilidade à causa, buscando estimular uma maior conscientização por parte da sociedade para a superação dos mitos e preconceitos que ainda rondam a adoção.

Diferentes modos de compreender a adoção, ao longo do tempo, deram molde para diferentes formas de fazer adoções. Atualmente, ela é definida como uma medida de proteção, tal como foi categorizada pelo Código de Menores e reafirmada pelo Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (ECA). O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os discursos (de Lei, de agentes e da clientela interessados em adotar) que mostram, atualmente, a adoção e como é mostrado, nos discursos o adotável. Ancorada no método da Análise Institucional do Discurso (AID), a pesquisa foi concretizada por meio da análise de sete entrevistas, realizadas com cinco profissionais das varas da infância e da juventude da capital paulista (dois juízes, um promotor, uma assistente social e uma psicóloga) e duas pessoas interessadas em adotar, habilitadas no Cadastro Nacional de Adoção, bem como por meio da análise do texto da Lei 12.010/2009. O estudo indicou que houve transferência do poder de escolha dos pais biológicos e dos pais adotivos ao poder de decisão do Judiciário, sendo este a instituição que, atualmente, garante a concessão da adoção por juízes e seu reasseguramento por diferentes procedimentos técnicos. Percebemos que a adoção não é um fato pontual, mas um processo, que se inicia com a etapa de preparo, seja de casais e/ou pessoas interessadas em adotar, seja de crianças/adolescentes, para que se produza a aptidão para adoção. Verificamos que as diferenças entre a filiação adotiva e a filiação biológica se configuram como desigualdades, produzidas na qualificação do passado e da memória da criança como algo negativo e na constituição do adotável como uma criança vazia de impressão. A filiacão adotiva, ao invés de se constituir como uma filiação aditiva, se configura como uma filiação subtrativa; não se reconhece como substituição à filiação biológica, ao se admitir diferente, e não se estabelece como acréscimo, ao se identificar com a negatividade / Different ways to comprehend adoption, over the time, have produced different ways of accomplishing adoptions. At present, adoption is defined as a measure of \"protection\", as categorized by the previous law code and reaffirmed by the Statute of Children and Adolescents (ECA). This study aimed to analyze the speeches (Law, agents and clientele interested in adopting) that show, currently, the adoption and how is shown, in the speeches, the adoptable child. Anchored in the method of Institutional Discourse Analysis, the research was accomplished with the analysis of seven interviews conducted with five professionals of Children\'s Courts (two judges, a prosecutor, a social worker and a psychologist) and two people interested in adopting, considered eligible for adoption at the National Register of Adoption, as well as by analyzing the text of Law 12.010/2009. The research indicated that there was a displacement of the power of choice from the biological and adoptive parents to the decision of the Childrens Court, which is the institution that currently grants adoption and its reassurance by different technical procedures. We realized that adoption is not a single event, but a process which starts with either the \"preparation\" of couples and/or individuals interested in adopting or with the preparation of children/adolescents available for adoption, in order to produce their ability for adoption. We found that the differences between adoptive filiation and biological parentage were produced in the qualification of the past and the child\'s memory as something negative and in the definition of the adoptable child or adolescent as an empty print subject. Adoptive filiation, instead of being understood as an additive membership, is configured as a subtractive membership; it does not replace biological parentage since it admits its differences from it and it does not establish itself as an addition to it, as it identifies itself with negativity

Diferentes modos de compreender a adoção, ao longo do tempo, deram molde para diferentes formas de fazer adoções. Atualmente, ela é definida como uma medida de proteção, tal como foi categorizada pelo Código de Menores e reafirmada pelo Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (ECA). O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os discursos (de Lei, de agentes e da clientela interessados em adotar) que mostram, atualmente, a adoção e como é mostrado, nos discursos o adotável. Ancorada no método da Análise Institucional do Discurso (AID), a pesquisa foi concretizada por meio da análise de sete entrevistas, realizadas com cinco profissionais das varas da infância e da juventude da capital paulista (dois juízes, um promotor, uma assistente social e uma psicóloga) e duas pessoas interessadas em adotar, habilitadas no Cadastro Nacional de Adoção, bem como por meio da análise do texto da Lei 12.010/2009. O estudo indicou que houve transferência do poder de escolha dos pais biológicos e dos pais adotivos ao poder de decisão do Judiciário, sendo este a instituição que, atualmente, garante a concessão da adoção por juízes e seu reasseguramento por diferentes procedimentos técnicos. Percebemos que a adoção não é um fato pontual, mas um processo, que se inicia com a etapa de preparo, seja de casais e/ou pessoas interessadas em adotar, seja de crianças/adolescentes, para que se produza a aptidão para adoção. Verificamos que as diferenças entre a filiação adotiva e a filiação biológica se configuram como desigualdades, produzidas na qualificação do passado e da memória da criança como algo negativo e na constituição do adotável como uma criança vazia de impressão. A filiacão adotiva, ao invés de se constituir como uma filiação aditiva, se configura como uma filiação subtrativa; não se reconhece como substituição à filiação biológica, ao se admitir diferente, e não se estabelece como acréscimo, ao se identificar com a negatividade / Different ways to comprehend adoption, over the time, have produced different ways of accomplishing adoptions. At present, adoption is defined as a measure of \"protection\", as categorized by the previous law code and reaffirmed by the Statute of Children and Adolescents (ECA). This study aimed to analyze the speeches (Law, agents and clientele interested in adopting) that show, currently, the adoption and how is shown, in the speeches, the adoptable child. Anchored in the method of Institutional Discourse Analysis, the research was accomplished with the analysis of seven interviews conducted with five professionals of Children\'s Courts (two judges, a prosecutor, a social worker and a psychologist) and two people interested in adopting, considered eligible for adoption at the National Register of Adoption, as well as by analyzing the text of Law 12.010/2009. The research indicated that there was a displacement of the power of choice from the biological and adoptive parents to the decision of the Childrens Court, which is the institution that currently grants adoption and its reassurance by different technical procedures. We realized that adoption is not a single event, but a process which starts with either the \"preparation\" of couples and/or individuals interested in adopting or with the preparation of children/adolescents available for adoption, in order to produce their ability for adoption. We found that the differences between adoptive filiation and biological parentage were produced in the qualification of the past and the child\'s memory as something negative and in the definition of the adoptable child or adolescent as an empty print subject. Adoptive filiation, instead of being understood as an additive membership, is configured as a subtractive membership; it does not replace biological parentage since it admits its differences from it and it does not establish itself as an addition to it, as it identifies itself with negativity

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