Different family configurations of adoption applicants: Implications for habilitation process

Abstract

Different family configurations of adoption applicants: Implications for habilitation process. New forms of parenting are gradually becoming more recognized in the society and, although not a new practice, adoption is seen increasingly as an option for families. This study investigated the view of juridical technicians involved in the habilitation process of new profiles of adoption applicants and also identified differences within those evaluations. Seventeen psychologists and social workers in southern Brazil were interviewed. Qualitative content analysis showed differences in practices about the issues: role division in homosexual couples, support-network in monoparental families, adoption as a family project in remarriages and generational gap in older applicants. These themes reflected concern for the children placed in adoption, but some reports portray values connected to biological family conceptions'. The various families' possibilities present challenges to professionals. Therefore, it's important that professionals know those subjects to combat prejudices and reinvent new performance modes.