An exploration of the challenges faced by prospective adoptive parents in the eThekwini region

Abstract

In South Africa, adoption has become an increasing necessity due to the high number of vulnerable and orphaned children due to the burden of HIV/AIDS and the breakdown of the traditional family. Some of these children have access to family or community care and can be fostered or adopted by adults they know. Others however, need to be fostered or adopted by strangers. Many adoptable children are children of colour and due to various social issues, many parents who adopt are White. Therefore, transracial adoptions are more common in South Africa than same-race adoptions. Whilst many parents face challenges related to parenthood adoptive parents have additional challenges. These challenges start before adoptive parents apply to adopt, through to the time of meeting the prospective adoptee, waiting for the final paperwork to be completed, and the post-placement transition to new family life. Whilst much research has been done on the post-adoption stage, there is little research exploring the challenges and support prospective adoptive parents encounter during the adoption process. This highlights the need for the current research study, especially as it seeks to include a diversity of parents without the narrow focus on transracial adoption. A qualitative approach was used to explore and describe the psychosocial challenges and experiences of sixteen adoptive parents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain insight into participants’ reasons for choosing adoption, their fears and anxieties related to the process and being adoptive parents, meeting the prospective adoptee, and their experiences of formal and informal support. The participants included single, married and cohabiting parents, same-sex and heterosexual couples, White and Indian parents. All but one adoption was transracial. Using thematic analysis, five themes and sixteen sub-themes emerged from the data. A personal desire for parenthood was found to be the primary motivating factor in pursuing adoption. Throughout the adoption journey, there were many challenges and experiences, both positive and negative. The application process was found to be significantly more stressful for some than for others. The period of visiting the prospective adoptee and waiting to take them home was difficult as some struggled to bond with the child, and some felt unprepared for the physical and emotional demands of becoming a parent. Throughout the process, participants had mixed experiences with the social workers and participants’ families. However, many received support from being connected with other adoptive families. Post-placement challenges included adapting to becoming parents, concerns about informing the child about their history and dealing with government departments while waiting for the formal process to be completed. Participants felt they needed much more support from social workers, participants’ families, the adoption community, government departments, and society throughout most of the adoption process. The lack of support they experienced exacerbated the fears and anxieties they experienced at different points in the process. Offering prospective adoptive parents adequate support to reduce fears, prepare them for parenthood and adoption, and assistance during challenging periods would enable them to be equipped and focus more of their energy and attention on their adoptive child and newly formed family.