Adopted Child & Foster Parents Case Study

CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

“You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. - Desmond Tutu”

When a mother gives birth to her child, it is the ultimate bonding experience. All parents wanted their children protected and secured by giving them tender, loving, care and a future of prosperity and well – being. Fortunate are those children who have these kinds of parents. On the other hand, the orphans and unwanted babies are lost and find themselves in the care of foster parents. Although some of them find hard time adjusting, still they enjoyed their privileged of being an adopted child.

Not only the adopted child had problems but also their foster parents. In many ways, their problems are also valid and must also be addressed and not a hindrance to noble implications of fostering an orphan.

The problem has to be identified so that a solution can be made which will results to a better condition to both adopted child and the foster parents.

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Background of the Study

When a parent has a child, it is an important moment of bonding in both the parents and the child’s lives. As the adopted child goes old, they will always be curious about their true heritage. Try to imagine that you know nothing about your family background. A feeling of emptiness overwhelms these children. In this time, he or she should be filled with knowledge of his or her family history, perhaps even a relationship with his or her biological parent. In this way, they will feel more secure knowing that their biological parents care about them.

Conceptual Framework

Both problems of the adopted child and the foster parents are valid and cannot be avoided. They are being encountered because of the natural and logical effects of the systems that regulates and control the functions by which they are conceptualized to attain in the first place.

To resolve these problems, it has to be identified what they are, its causes and effects, its introduction to the biological parents and preventing the feeling of the isolation of the child.

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Statement of the Problem

This study concerns about the problems encountered by the adopted children and their foster parents. It attempts to answer the following related problems: 1. What problem is being encountered by the adopted child and their foster parents? 2. How serious are these problems being encountered by the adopted child and their foster parents as to: 2.1. Child – parent relationships? 2.2. Interest? 2.3. Future? 3. What are the perceived solutions to the problems encountered by the adopted child and the foster parents?

Hypothesis

The greater the passivity and helplessness of the child, or the greater the child’s missing autonomy of action, the greater ability of applicants to take on the parental role. According to Gehlen, the mere physical presence of the extremely small and helpless being simulates a parent – child relationship that approximates the normal case of family constitution and stirs the instinctual residues inside human being.

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Significance of the Study

This study will benefit the following people: Adopted child and foster parents themselves because they convey what their parents are and hoping that concerned persons can help them solve the problems. Childless couples who are planning to adopt an orphan. Government officials who formulate laws to come up with bills for congress that aimed for better conditions of the adopted child.

Scope and Delimitation

The study covers 12 adopted children and their corresponding foster parents who are from Metro Manila. All were of private sectors and none came from known.

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Definition of Terms

Adopted child. An orphan who is legally taken care of by a financially stabled couple. Encounter. The act of undergoing while in the process of playing the relationships of adopted child and foster parents. Foster parents. A parent who takes good care of the adopted child. Melancholy. Feeling or making somebody feel a thoughtful or gentle sadness. Orphan. A child whose parents are both dead or who has been abandoned by his or her parents, especially a child not adopted by another family Orphanage. A home or other institutional setting for orphans, often operated by a local government or charitable organization Problems. It refers to anything that posses a stumbling block in a smooth relationships between the adopted child and the foster parents. Status. The present condition of the problem of the adopted child and the foster parents particularly on their relationships, interest and future.

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CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Local Literature

Melancholy is being felt by an adopted child. Nowadays, parents are so busy for work so they left their children with their nanny. It is normal for a child to mingle and play with his or her same age level but in this case, sadness will always be felt by the child. Foster parents should also be aware of the implications brought about by adopting a child. They have to be sure that they can give and prepare the good future of the child physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, morally and spiritually.

Foreign Literature

Foster parents were caught surprised as they observed while the child is growing. They found the child too different from what they expect the child to become (2008, Dyne). Many foster parents adopt children with the expectations that they can help helpless child into a gown normal person. But out of such expectations, many have become rebellious and independent. These children felt they were not being loved. There was one article in Reader’s Digest in which the adopted boy had some physical injuries due to mal treatment of his foster father (2005, Ross).

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Local Studies

According to Tess in her baby thesis, the study is concerned about how to adopt a child and their duties, responsibilities and accountabilities in pursuing this adoption of a child. It covered subjects among foster parents in Kalibo, Aklan. The main reason why a parent adopts a child is because they can’t bear a child and for security reasons that there will be someone to take care of them when they become old.

Foreign Studies

D.L. Wythe conducted his study on foster parents that resulted to the following findings: 1. Minimum of them were successful in being a good foster parents. 2. A large number of them were successful in sending their adopted children to colleges and even finished a degree. 3. Few failed to guide their adopted child in giving them a better life. 4. Most of them were happy in with their adopted child. 5. Most of them found their relationships with their adopted child better than they expected.

Lawrence stressed out that the adopted child was bothered in one way or another especially when they found out the truths about being an adopted child. In this phase, some change their attitudes and views in life to the extent that they become rebellious.

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CHAPTER III: METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Research Design

The researcher describes the phenomenon in terms of its characteristics and nature by using the descriptive research.

Respondents of the Study

The number of questionnaires was given equally of 12 adopted children and 12 foster parents of the corresponding adopted children with a total number of 24 respondents.

Data Gathering Procedure

Data for this study were gathered using a survey research in which the respondents were requested to fill up following directions indicate in each question. The questionnaires were designed for both respondents. The data were based from literature and studies and comprises secondary sources of data. Both local and foreign literatures were derived to confirm and strengthen its validation.

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Statistical Treatment of Data

Gathered data were been subjected to statistical measurements to weigh the level of their seriousness as result of this study after a thorough investigation. The simple frequency distributions expressed in percentage was used. The formula is: P = f/n x 100 Where: P = percentage F = frequency N = number of cases

The Likert scales was also used using the following verbal interpretation: Percentage: 76 – 100%

very serious

51 – 75%

serious

26 – 50%

less serious

1 – 25%

not serious

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aquino, Gaudencio. (2002). Fundamentals of Research. Mandaluyong City.

Dyne, Robert C. (2006, December). Parental Care. Health Journal, Vol. XII.

Lawrence, Carl S. (2003). The advantages and disadvantages of adopting a child, A Study Research Paper. Alabama: Technological Institute.

Paloma, Lilibeth T. (2005, November 15). Caring the Adopted Child. Todays Health: The Philippines Standard.

Riem, Christa H. (1990). The Adopted Child: Family Life with Double Parenthood. Germany: Transaction Publishers.

Ross, A.L. (2005, March). Child Problems. Reader’s Digest Asian Ed. p. 46.

Tolentino, Tess N. (2005).Adopting a Child, A baby thesis. Kalibo, Aklan: Aklan University Wythe, D.L. (2007). Foster Parents: An Assessment of their Roles in the Society, An undergraduate thesis. Texas, USA: Interhollow high State of Texas.

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