Adoptive families – challenges of adaptation and reactions of the social environment

Obitelj je zajednica koja nam, osim egzistencijalnih potreba, pruža podršku, zaštitu te zadovoljenje emocionalnih potreba. U slučajevima kada je dijete bez odgovarajuće roditeljske skrbi te nema mogućnost odrastanja uz biološke roditelje, posvojenje postaje adekvatan izbor da se djetetu osigura zamjenska skrb i uvjeti za prikladan rast i razvoj. U ovom radu se elaborira proces posvojenja prvenstveno kroz zakonodavni okvir. Istraživanja su pokazala značajan utjecaj pripreme na uspješnost posvojenja i prilagodbu. Nadalje, pokazalo se da posvojenje donosi mnogo promjena u dinamici obiteljskih i bračnih odnosa, a s druge strane, odnosi među posvojiteljima imaju veliki utjecaj na dijete, njegovu prilagodbu i razvoj. Nedostatak podrške i predrasude s kojima se obitelj susreće, dodatno otežavaju proces posvajanja i prilagodbe Kako bi se olakšao proces posvojenja i prilagodba, potrebno je informirati i senzibilizirati članove obitelji, okolinu i stručnjake koji ih prate te učiniti dostupnim potrebnu podršku.Family is a community which, beyond existential needs, provides support, protection and satisfaction of emotional needs. In situations where a child is without proper parental care and has no possibility of growing up with biological parents, adoption becomes an adequate choice to provide the child an alternative care and conditions for an appropriate growth and development. In this paper, process of adoption is being elaborated, first of all, through legislative framework. Research have shown a significant impact of the preparation on the efficacy of adoption and adaptation. Furthermore, it has been shown that adoption brings many changes in the dynamics of family and marital relationships, and on the other hand, relationships among adopters have a major impact on the child, his adaptation and development. The lack of support and prejudices which the family is facing, make the process of adoption and adaptation even more difficult. In order to facilitate the process of adoption and adaptation, it is necessary to inform and sensitize the members of the family, the environment and the experts who follow them and to make available the appropriate support