OUTCOME OF ADOPTIONS: HAVE COUPLES REALISED THEIR DREAM?

Authors

  • Wilfred van Delft Department of Social Work, University of South Africa.
  • Trudie van Delft (Adoption social worker, Die Ondersteuningsraad), Pretoria, South Africa.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15270/44-4-227

Abstract

Despite the wide use and success rate of ART (assisted reproductive technology) such as invitro fertilisation, artificial insemination with donor seed, gamete donation, embryo transfer andsurrogate motherhood, these technologies are not an option for many couples (fortechnical/biological/financial reasons and ethical/moral objections). As Grinion (2007:134)states: “The irony is that, on the one hand, reproductive technologies offer hope wherepreviously none existed, while on the other hand they introduce a series of complex, expensive,and often morally troubling treatment modalities.” After having contemplated all alternativesfrom either a moral, ethical, economic or all-encompassing point of view, adoption is often theonly remaining alternative to couples who want a child and live the dream of being a family.South Africa has a long practice and well-researched history of adoption (De Bruyn, 1976; DeBruyn, 1989; De Vos, 1995; Lombard, 1976; Mouton, 1976; Pakati, 1984; Van Delft, 1983).

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

ADAMS, M. 2002. Our son, a stranger: adoption breakdown and its effects on parents.

Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

ANDREWS, R.G., HILL, J.G., LAWDER, E.A, LOWDER, K.D. & SHERMAN, A.E. 1969.

Follow-up study of adoptions: post-placement functioning of adoption families. Child

Welfare League of America.

BABBIE, E. & MOUTON, J. 2005. The practice of social research. Oxford: Oxford

University Press.

BARTH, R.P. 2002. Outcomes of adoption and what they can tell us about designing adoption

services. Adoption Quarterly, 6(1):45-60.

BARTH, R.P. & MILLER, J.M. 2000. Building effective post-adoption services: what is the

empirical foundation? Family Relations, 49(4):447-455.

BERGER, R., McBREEN, J.T. & RIFKIN, M.J. 1996. Human behavior: a perspective for

the helping profession. New York: Longman.

BRODZINSKY, D.M. & PALACIOS, J. 2005. Psychological issues in adoption: research

and practice. Praeger: Westport.

BROWN, R.T., FREEMAN, W.S., PERRIN, J.M., STEIN, M.T., AAMLER, R.W.,

FELDMAN, H.M., PIERCE, K. & WOLRAICH, M.L. 2001. Prevalence and assessment of

attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity disorder in primary care settings. Pediatrics, 107(3):1-2.

CARTER, B. & McGOLDRICK, M. 1989. The changing family life cycle. Boston: Allyn and

Bacon.

DE BRUYN, M. 1976. Die aannemingsproses met spesiale aandag aan die aannemende

ouers. Pretoria: University of South Africa. (Unpublished DPhil Thesis)

DE BRUYN, M. 1989. Privaataannemings. Social Work, 25(4):262-270.

DE VOS, L. 1995. ‘n Opvolgstudie van kinders met spesiale behoeftes wat later

aangeneem is. Pretoria: University of South Africa. (Unpublished MA Dissertation)

DE VOS, A.S., STRYDOM, H. & DELPORT, C.S.L. 2002. Research at grass roots: for the

social sciences and human service professions. Pretoria: Van Schaik.

DOYER, A.W. & ROUX, J.P. 2000. Die selfverstaan van die aanneemgesin. The Social Work

Practitioner-Researcher, 112(3):184-194.

ERIKSON, E.H. 1976. Adulthood. New York: Norton.

GRINION, P.E. 2007. A phenomenological study into infertility and assisted reproductive

technologies: USA and Jamaica compared. Durban: University of KwaZulu-Natal.

(Unpublished DPhil Thesis)

GROZE, V.K. 1996. Successful adoptive families: a longitudinal study of special needs

adoptions. Westport: Praeger.

HOWE, D. 1996. Adopters and adoption: reflections on parenthood and children. London:

British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering.

JAFFE, B. & FANSHEL, D. 1970. How they fared in adoption: a follow-up study. New

York: Columbia University Press.

LOMBARD, S.F. 1976. Aannemingsorg en die beoefening daarvan, met behulp van die

vakkundige dienste in die Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk. Pretoria: University of

Pretoria. (Unpublished DPhil Thesis)

LOURENS, J.A.E. 2002. Die toepassing van gesinsterapie met aangenome kinders.

Pretoria: University of South Africa. (Unpublished MEd Dissertation)

MOUTON, G.E. 1976. Die aanneming van kinders, met besondere verwysing na die

inpassing by die aannemende ouers. Bloemfontein: University of the Orange Free State.

(Unpublished DSocSc (Social Work) Thesis)

NIJS, P. 1972. Donor inseminatie. (Sociaal) psychologische aspecten. Tijdschrift voor

Geneeskunde, 28(23):1540-1546.

PAKATI, E.R.V. 1984. Legal adoption in an African community. Durban: University of

Natal. (Unpublished MSocSc Dissertation)

SMITH, C. & LOGAN, J. 2003. After adoption: direct contact and relationships. New

York: Routledge.

VAN DELFT, W.F. 1983. Kunsmatige inseminasie met skenkersaad (KIS) as alternatief

vir kinderlose egpare in Suid-Afrika. Pretoria: University of South Africa. (Unpublished

DPhil Thesis)

WILSON, S. 2004. A current review of adoption research: exploring individual differences in

adoption. Children and Youth Services Review, 26(8):687-696.

Downloads

Published

2014-06-19

How to Cite

van Delft, W., & van Delft, T. (2014). OUTCOME OF ADOPTIONS: HAVE COUPLES REALISED THEIR DREAM?. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 44(4). https://doi.org/10.15270/44-4-227

Issue

Section

Articles