Trans-racial Placements of Children and Family Socialization Processes in Durban and Johannesburg, South Africa

• In Event: 534 - Section on Children and Youth Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 10. Parental Effects and Socialization

Abstract

This paper examines trans-racial placements of children and family socialization processes in Durban and Johannesburg, South Africa. The main objectives of the study have been to investigate the Welfare Policy in South Africa as it relates to childcare, compile the profile of trans-racial families, to examine the socialization processes within trans-racial families and to establish the support networks available to trans-racial families. The sample consisted of 20 families and 31 parents. Children who were adopted or fostered were 35. The research methodology was entirely qualitative. In-depth interviews were conducted with all the 31 adoptive/foster parents. Purposive sampling was applied in the study. Thematic analysis method was used to analyse open-ended questions. All adoptive parents who participated in the study were white. Most of them were married, employed and had tertiary education. There were 35 children amongst the families that participated in the study. There were 18 females and 17 males. Most of the families reported that their children were outgoing, but shy. Most of these children attend integrated schools, and there are other adopted children at the schools where they attend. The main reason for birth parents to give their children away either for adoption or foster care was financial constraints. Support networks are very essential for adoptive families to function properly and this gives them an opportunity to share their burdens with other parents.
Keywords: Adoption, foster-care, trans-racial, family, socialization

Author

• TINY PETUNIA MONA, University of Limpopo