From care, to adoption, to parenting: a two generation study of identity, risk and resilience in adoptive families

从照顾、收养到养育子女：关于收养家庭身份、风险和复原力的两代人研究

基本信息

批准号：
ES/R004145/1
负责人：
Elsbeth Neil
金额：
$ 47.35万
依托单位：
University of East Anglia
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2018
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2018 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FR004145%2F1
关键词：
care adoption parenting two generation

项目摘要

For 20 years UK policy has encouraged the adoption of children from care, and tens of thousands are now of an age where they could become a parent. This compulsory form of adoption is controversial at home and abroad and it is vital to fully research the lifespan effects - including what happens when adoptees become parents to the next generation. A child's birth is a key event in any family, bringing joys and challenges. This study will provide a new understanding of the lived experiences and needs of people adopted from care who are now parents, and of adoptive parents who are now grandparents. It will inform support to help adopted young people to prepare for parenthood, promote their resilience, and support them as parents. The majority of children adopted from care will have experienced early adversities such as loss, abuse and neglect. Adoption offers permanence in a new family, but even so about half of adopted young people are likely to have psychological problems which carry on into adulthood. Studies of vulnerable parents (e.g. care leavers) show they are at risk of early parenthood, parenting difficulties, even their own children going into care. But for some, having a child is a positive choice and a healing experience. This study will explore the positives and the challenges of becoming a parent from the perspective of people adopted from care. The concept of 'resilience' (healthy development after exposure to risk) is key and the risk and protective factors that can affect resilience in the context of parenting will be a central focus.This study will also shine a light on the lifelong identity issues for adopted people. For adoptees, building identity can be hampered by gaps in their known life history, feelings of being different or stigmatised, and a lack of connection with birth relatives. Becoming a parent can stir up identity concerns and trigger a search for birth family, but these issues are unexplored for people adopted from care, many of whom will have retained some form of contact with birth relatives. We will explore how adopted people make meaning of their whole life history, including being adopted and being a parent, adding to our understanding of narrative identity development for adoptees in adulthood.The research will also include the perspective of parents who adopted a child from care and who are now grandparents. Adoption has lifelong implications for adopters too, but there is no research on the grandparenting stage of family life in 'from care' adoptions. Because of the ongoing vulnerability of many young people adopted from care, it is important to include grandparents because they may be providing vital support to their child and grandchild.In-depth interview data from 40 adopted people who are now parents (20 men, 20 women), and 40 adoptive parents who are now grandparents will be collected and the sample will include a mixture of linked parent/grandparent cases and non-linked cases. Narrative and thematic analysis methods will be used to answer the research questions. The involvement of stakeholders (professionals, adoptees and adoptive parents) will inform the recruitment of participants, the data collection and analysis will help generate a sound understanding of practice and policy implications.Adoption from care is an extreme intervention in family life and a major focus of policy and investment in the UK. There is a moral responsibility to understand its impact across the lifespan; this project will generate insights about longer term outcomes. It will benefit society though building understanding of a particularly complex and challenging family form with a mixture of biological, legal and relational ties. It will benefit academics interested in narrative identity, adoption, vulnerable parents, grand-parenting, and resilience. Maximum impact on practice will be achieved through working with stakeholders to disseminate findings in a range of formats to different audiences.

20年来，英国的政策一直鼓励收养无人照料的儿童，现在有数万人已经到了可以成为父母的年龄。这种强制收养形式在国内外都存在争议，充分研究其对寿命的影响至关重要，包括被收养者成为下一代父母时会发生什么。孩子的出生是任何家庭的一件大事，带来欢乐和挑战。这项研究将为现在为人父母的被看护者以及现在为祖父母的养父母的生活经历和需求提供新的认识。它将提供支持，帮助被收养的年轻人为成为父母做好准备，提高他们的适应能力，并为他们作为父母提供支持。大多数被收养的儿童都会经历早期的逆境，如失去亲人、虐待和忽视。收养可以让他们在新家庭中永久存在，但即便如此，大约一半的被收养年轻人可能会出现心理问题，并持续到成年。对弱势父母（例如离开看护者）的研究表明，他们面临着早为人父母、养育困难、甚至自己的孩子需要接受看护的风险。但对一些人来说，生孩子是一个积极的选择，也是一种治愈的经历。这项研究将从被收养者的角度探讨成为父母的积极因素和挑战。 “复原力”（暴露于风险后的健康发展）的概念是关键，在育儿背景下影响复原力的风险和保护因素将成为焦点。这项研究还将揭示儿童的终生身份问题。被收养的人。对于被收养者来说，他们已知的生活史中的差距、与众不同或被污名化的感觉以及与亲生亲属缺乏联系可能会阻碍他们建立身份。成为父母可能会引发身份问题并引发寻找亲生家庭的问题，但对于被收养的人来说，这些问题还没有被探讨过，他们中的许多人将与亲生亲属保持某种形式的联系。我们将探讨被收养者如何理解他们的整个人生历史，包括被收养和成为父母，增加我们对被收养者成年后叙事身份发展的理解。该研究还将包括收养孩子的父母的观点现在谁是祖父母。收养对收养者也有终生影响，但目前还没有关于“照料”收养中家庭生活的祖父母阶段的研究。由于许多被收养的年轻人持续处于脆弱状态，因此将祖父母包括在内非常重要，因为他们可能为自己的孩子和孙子提供至关重要的支持。来自 40 名现已为人父母的被收养者的深入访谈数据（20 名男性，20 名男性）女性），并将收集 40 名现已成为祖父母的养父母，样本将包括有关联的父母/祖父母病例和无关联的病例。将使用叙述和主题分析方法来回答研究问题。利益相关者（专业人士、被收养者和养父母）的参与将为参与者的招募提供信息，数据收集和分析将有助于形成对实践和政策影响的良好理解。看护收养是对家庭生活的极端干预，也是一个主要焦点英国的政策和投资。了解其对整个生命周期的影响是一种道德责任；该项目将产生有关长期成果的见解。通过建立对具有生物、法律和关系联系的特别复杂和具有挑战性的家庭形式的理解，它将造福社会。它将有利于对叙事身份、收养、弱势父母、祖父母和复原力感兴趣的学者。通过与利益相关者合作，以多种形式向不同受众传播研究结果，可以实现对实践的最大影响。