Adoption: deinstitualization – the creation of favourable conditions for a child to grow up in the family

The strategic goal of Lithuanian society is the deinstitutionalization of children’s care homes- the shift from institutional care towards the adoption. This article is looking at the adoption in the context of deinstitutionalization, which could create constant and favourable conditions for the child to grow up in the family environment. Analysed topical literature and its findings are being compared with the response of the potential adoptive parents, who have participated in the qualitative research and their expressed opinion towards, according to them, the most important aspects regarding the adoption that are complimenting each other: legal, the role of the family in child’s life, confidentiality in the process of adoption and psychosocial support for the families, who have already adopted. The purpose of this article is to show the adoption in the context of deinstitutionalisation, which could provide continuous and positive environment for the child to grow up in the family. In order to reach the set goal the following tasks have to be achieved: 1) the aspects of adoption to be discussed, revealing advantages and disadvantages and comprehension of both; 2) to show the discourse of social support in the context of deinstitutionalisation for the families that have adopted. In order to achieve set goals, relevant methods were selected: revision of the main ideas and findings in the literature and its comparison with the opinion expressed by potential adoptive parents in the qualitative research. Study participants (informants) were the clients of limited liability psychological counselling company "Santuoka". Research findings are based on the interviews conducted with 12 women and 10 men, between 2012 and 2015. Given information shows that the search for potential adoptive parents is expanding and their preparation is being improved. Despite the fact that there is a legal base created and being developed for this very purpose, two out of five (38%) of all children in question, are still living in the institutional care. Adoptive parents are being confronted with all types of difficulties, which are the unavoidable part of the adoption process. In order to deal with the arising problems it is important that there would be a smooth legal regulatory process in place, support from the specialists and the preparation of the potential adoptive parents. Research conducted in relation to the common belief within society towards adoption shows that potential adoptive parents have unrealistic and contradictory believes towards the interests of the child and legislations. It is important to create a support and preparation system for potential adoptive parents, which would provide them with the information regarding adoption, allow them to fully comprehend the concept of it and dissipate the unrealistic "myths" about possible adoption and support thereafter. The creation and provision of psychological support system would help to solve the arising tensions for the couples, who are in their new roles of the adoptive parents, and other family members