A research report submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology In the faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg February 2016 / Literature on adoption and abandonment in South Africa is somewhat limited. As abandonment is a pressing issue in South Africa, it is important to grow the body of literature so that these children and their adoptive families can be given effective help and support. This study focused on the relationship between adoptive parents and their previously abandoned, adopted children. Emphasis was placed on exploring this relationship and capturing the narrative of these adoptive parents as they provided an account of their experiences in adopting an abandoned child. To help guide this exploration, this study looked at how the experience of being abandoned affects the relationship between the adoptive parent and their adopted child. The study then focused on how good enough parenting ameliorated these early adverse experiences and finally explored the type of help sought by adoptive parents to help their children. The research design employed for this study was qualitative in nature and semi-structured interviews were conducted with five adoptive mothers in Johannesburg. Thematic content analysis was used to obtain themes and interpret the data. The findings of this study revealed that the adopting of abandoned children was a challenging journey yet, given that these adoptive mothers have been good enough caregivers to their children, providing them with consistency and stability in care, they have inspired the birth of relationships that feel more secure. In addition, the findings pointed out that the tracking of the relationship between adoptive parents and the adopted child from pre-pubescent years into pubescent years is likely to reveal more about the relationship. / MT2017

Children who age out of foster care face adjustments and mental health issues at higher rates than their peers, but those who are adopted have the opportunity to heal from previous trauma and experience better outcomes. To create healthy family systems for adopted children, adoptive parents need support and guidance as they personally adjust and help their children adjust to a new family system. Previous research has focused on child identifiers rather than on the broader family system in efforts to understand adoption success and failure. In this transcendental phenomenological study, adoptive parents provided their lived experiences of support during the adoption process. The results were analyzed using Giorgi, Giorgi, and Morley's descriptive phenomenological psychological method and the results were framed using an adapted version of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model. The results offered experiences of support at all 4 levels of the ecological model and provided a framework to use for future research to understand the influences of the sources of support and a guideline for agencies and counselors to use when serving adoptive families. The results can aid in the proactive development of training and support services for adoptive families and provide information for professionals by offering insight into the nontraditional structure of adoptive families. This information may also be used to inform counseling programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs that offer the marriage, couples, and families specialization.

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This study focuses on the meaning of the Fatherhood of God in the counselling of the adoptee. A study of relevant literature has shown that the metaphor "God the Father" is seldom incorporated in pastoral counselling. This study explores the possibility of successfully incorporating the concept "Fatherhood of God" in the counselling of the adoptee. In order to do so, the perspectives of the basis theory and metatheory have been investigated. The basis theory has been developed through an exegetical study of Old Testament verses that speak explicitly of the Fatherhood of God, as well as the three Abba-texts of the New Testament. This indicates that the covenant is closely related to the Fatherhood of God. The metatheory has been developed after studying literature regarding adoption from the perspective of other disciplines. The matters identity, rejection and loss have been shown as significant issues in the life of the adoptee. An empirical study has been done in addition to the basis- and metatheory. This investigation has brought to light that the adoptee does in general sense not connect the concept "Fatherhood of God" to his adoption. In order to develop an own model, different existing models have been investigated. Thus it was decided to use the model of Eyrich and Hines as guideline. A model has been developed and proposed that successfully incorporates the research findings of this study. It seems that the concept "Fatherhood" of God can be successfully utilised in the pastoral counselling of the adoptee, especially regarding the issues of identity, rejection and loss. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The aim of this study was to examine how adoptive parents related to parenting and how they related to their children’s biological origin. Issues that were used were how adoptive parents described their own parenting, how they described their own thoughts about their children eventually wanting to search their biological origin and how adoptive parents described the child´s country of birth attitudes towards adoptees wishes to search their biological origin. The method used was qualitative research interviews. The theory that was used for analyzing the collected data was attachment theory. Results from the study showed that the interviewees had different opinions on how adoptive parenting was understood. The varying interview answers from the interviewees show that there is no general picture of what is specific to be an adoptive parent compared to a biological parent. At the same time, the data shows that all interviewees had experienced specific situations about their parenting that distinguishes them as adoptive parents. The results also showed that the adoptive parents are very positive about their children biological origin. Furthermore, results also showed that attitudes towards adoptees wishes to search their biological origin vary depending on the country of birth.

Thesis (M.A.) - Simon Fraser University, 2005. / Theses (Faculty of Education) / Simon Fraser University. Also issued in digital format and available on the World Wide Web.

In this small qualitative study, the researcher explores how four families involved in resource foster care services conceptualize concurrent planning in the child welfare system. Analysis of the four semi-structured transcribed interviews revealed four dominant themes: hope and optimism that resource foster care could be a rewarding alternative to further infertility treatment; anger and fear of disruption related to birth family visits; identification of the foster child as their own; and uncertainty regarding resource foster care team rules, roles, and responsibilities. Each theme was influenced by an attachment to the child they were fostering and the fear of losing that child. / The findings suggest that resource foster parents do not fully embrace concurrent planning as a philosophy of care that supports and works towards the best interests of children. Practice principles central to concurrent planning were often abandoned as a result of intense identification with adoptive parenthood status. / The researcher has included a number of recommendations with respect to future studies, training needs, and recruitment strategies. The conclusion states that in the best interests of children, resource foster parents must fully embrace the concept of concurrent planning defined within child welfare context and legislation.

This study focuses on the meaning of the Fatherhood of God in the counselling of the adoptee. A study of relevant literature has shown that the metaphor "God the Father" is seldom incorporated in pastoral counselling. This study explores the possibility of successfully incorporating the concept "Fatherhood of God" in the counselling of the adoptee. In order to do so, the perspectives of the basis theory and metatheory have been investigated. The basis theory has been developed through an exegetical study of Old Testament verses that speak explicitly of the Fatherhood of God, as well as the three Abba-texts of the New Testament. This indicates that the covenant is closely related to the Fatherhood of God. The metatheory has been developed after studying literature regarding adoption from the perspective of other disciplines. The matters identity, rejection and loss have been shown as significant issues in the life of the adoptee. An empirical study has been done in addition to the basis- and metatheory. This investigation has brought to light that the adoptee does in general sense not connect the concept "Fatherhood of God" to his adoption. In order to develop an own model, different existing models have been investigated. Thus it was decided to use the model of Eyrich and Hines as guideline. A model has been developed and proposed that successfully incorporates the research findings of this study. It seems that the concept "Fatherhood" of God can be successfully utilised in the pastoral counselling of the adoptee, especially regarding the issues of identity, rejection and loss. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This study focuses on the meaning of the Fatherhood of God in the counselling of the adoptee. A study of relevant literature has shown that the metaphor "God the Father" is seldom incorporated in pastoral counselling. This study explores the possibility of successfully incorporating the concept "Fatherhood of God" in the counselling of the adoptee. In order to do so, the perspectives of the basis theory and metatheory have been investigated. The basis theory has been developed through an exegetical study of Old Testament verses that speak explicitly of the Fatherhood of God, as well as the three Abba-texts of the New Testament. This indicates that the covenant is closely related to the Fatherhood of God. The metatheory has been developed after studying literature regarding adoption from the perspective of other disciplines. The matters identity, rejection and loss have been shown as significant issues in the life of the adoptee. An empirical study has been done in addition to the basis- and metatheory. This investigation has brought to light that the adoptee does in general sense not connect the concept "Fatherhood of God" to his adoption. In order to develop an own model, different existing models have been investigated. Thus it was decided to use the model of Eyrich and Hines as guideline. A model has been developed and proposed that successfully incorporates the research findings of this study. It seems that the concept "Fatherhood" of God can be successfully utilised in the pastoral counselling of the adoptee, especially regarding the issues of identity, rejection and loss. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

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.