Intercountry adoptive parent education

Issues and challenges faced by adoptive parents

Research suggests that some of the issues and challenges faced by adoptive parents include:

bonding with a child who is not biologically connected to you and your family
acknowledging the complexity of adoption
dealing with feelings of loss through infertility
parenting an adopted child who has endured loss and trauma, often manifesting itself in challenging behaviours
coping with a lack of availability of, and access to, ongoing community supports
parenting a child who may have an attachment disorder
remaining committed to parenting a child who has no secure or healthy attachment to you
being unable to control the attitude of others, particularly in relation to racism
dealing with racism and the impact on a child's self-esteem
ensuring that a child's culture, identity and ethnicity is positively developed within your family
accepting that a child may not be grateful about being adopted on a long-term basis.

Refer to the list of suggested reading for further information.

In your learning journal, comment on the following question:

What do you think will be some of the core issues and challenges that you may experience as adoptive parents?

In your learning journal, comment on the following questions:

What do you believe are the significant changes and losses that an adopted child has experienced before being placed for adoption?
How might a child behave as a result of these changes and losses, once they are placed with their adoptive parents in Australia?
How would you manage any behavioural problems that a child may demonstrate?
What do you think is the impact on a child's development from residing in an orphanage or institution?

Next: Placement proposals