Prospective adoptive parents within pre-adoption services

152 Pages·2016·1.05 MB·English

by  Pia Eriksson

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University of Helsinki
Faculty of Social Sciences
Department of Social Research
Prospective adoptive parents within pre-adoption services:
An interplay of emotions and power in social interaction
Pia K Eriksson
ACADEMIC DISSERTATION
To be presented,
with the permission of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Helsinki,
for public examination in Auditorium XII, University main building,
on 12 November 2016, at 10 a.m.
PROSPECTIV E ADOPTIV E
PARENTS WITHIN PRE-
ADOPTION SERV ICES:
– An interplay of emotions
and power in social interaction
pia K eriksson

Pia K Eriksson
Prospective adoptive parents within pre-adoption services:
An interplay of emotions and power in social interaction
Supervisors:
Professor Ilse Julkunen, University of Helsinki
Professor Lars Uggerhøj, Aalborg University
Opponent:
Professor Tommy Lundström, Stockholm University
External examinators:
Professor Tarja Pösö, University of Tampere
Professor Elsbeth Neil, University of East Anglia
Mathilda Wrede Institute Research Reports 4/2016
The international editorial board consists of the following members:
Tapio Salonen, Malmö University
Gudny Eydal, University of Iceland
Lars Uggerhøj, Aalborg University
Elisabeth Willumsen, The University of Stavanger
Marjaana Seppänen, University of Lapland
Åsa Rosengren, Arcada University of Applied Sciences
Helena Blomberg-Kroll, University of Helsinki
Ilse Julkunen, University of Helsinki
Layout: Gerd Strandberg-Andersson
Illustrations and cover design: Linn Henrichson
Printed by Oy Nord Print Ab, Helsinki 2016
Ab Det finlandssvenska kompetenscentret inom det sociala området (FSKC)
This publication is distributed by FSKC and also available in PDF at: www.fskc.fi
Helsinki 2016)
ISBN 978-952-7078-15-0 (PDF)
ISBN 978-952-7078-16-7 (HTF)
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Contents

Abstract ......................................................................... 12
Abstrakt ......................................................................... 14
Tiivistelmä ......................................................................... 16

Acknowledgements ......................................................................... 18
1 Introduction .......................................... 20

2 Family formation through

inter-country adoption .......................................... 28

.......................................... 30
2.1 Finland as a receiving country
.......................................... 32
2.2 Children available for adoption
.......................................... 34
2.3 Pre-adoption services
.......................................... 36
2.3.1 Adoption counselling
.......................................... 40
2.3.2 Inter-country adoption service
.......................................... 42
2.4 Prospective adoptive parents as clients

2.5 Normative family creation
.......................................... 44
through adoption
3 Theoretical perspectives .......................................... 46

3.1 User perspectives and horizontal
.......................................... 49
knowledge production
3.2 Conceptualizing social life in an
.......................................... 51
institutional process
.......................................... 52
3.2.1 Power
.......................................... 53
3.2.2 Strategic interaction
.......................................... 55
3.2.3 Emotions
.......................................... 57
3.2.4 Service satisfaction
.......................................... 58
3.3 Reflexive and critical perspectives
4 Methodology .......................................... 60

.......................................... 62
4.1 The FinAdo survey
.......................................... 63
4.2 Statistical analysis of associations
.......................................... 64
4.3 Narrative interviews
.......................................... 67
4.4 Thematic narrative analysis
.......................................... 70
4.5 Ethical considerations
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.......................................... 73
4.6 Reflections on validity and reliability
.......................................... 74
4.6.1 Quantitative survey data
.......................................... 75
4.6.2 Qualitative interview data
5 Prospective adoptive parenthood .......................................... 80

.......................................... 83
5.1 Accounts of being on the threshold
5.2 Accounts of vulnerability
.......................................... 87
and dependency
5.3 Accounts of agency in navigating
.......................................... 91
pre-adoption services
5.4 Relationships in midst of support
.......................................... 95
and control
........................................... 98
5.5 Emotion and reason
.......................................... 100
5.6 The clienthood experience compiled
6 Inter-country adoption and child
protection .......................................... 102
.......................................... 103
6.1 Wanting a child or providing a home
.......................................... 105
6.2 Rights and justifications
6.3 From risk and normativity assessment to
.......................................... 108
co-creation of needs
.......................................... 112
6.4 Looking back at the research process
7 Conclusions and implications .......................................... 116
References ......................................... 124
Original publications ......................................... 154
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