摘要：This study is exploratory in design and seeks to build knowledge on the help-seeking experiences of parents of children adopted from overseas who are exhibiting challenging behaviours. The available literature, whilst limited, suggests parents want ‘adoption-competent’ help but find professional knowledge on adoption to be lacking and difficult to access. Eight participants in this Canberra-based study completed an initial questionnaire, with six of these providing subsequent qualitative data in either a focus group or an individual interview. All participants were parents who had sought help for one or more of their children who was adopted from overseas. All parents had legally finalised their children’s adoptions and were no longer clients of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Adoption and Permanent Care Unit which operates under the jurisdiction of the Office for Children, Youth and Family Support. This study seeks to understand more fully why parents seek help, who they seek help from, how they locate help and how useful they find this to be. The research findings highlight some of the issues which trigger parents to seek help, in particular anxiety, sleep disturbances and aggressive behaviour. Parents initially seek help from their doctors and children’s educators and seek professionals knowledgeable on adoption issues. The findings further suggest that parents who seek assistance for their children are confronted with significant difficulties. These include accessing appropriate services, the dual focus of the government post-adoption service model, a perceived lack of adoption-competent knowledge by professionals and a resulting lack of confidence in services by families. In conclusion, the research indicates there is a strong need for informed, adequately resourced, accessible and ongoing, post-placement support.
关键词：Adoption;Adoption Triangle;Adoption Quadrangle;Adoptee;Natural or Birth Mother;Natural or Birth Father;Adoptive Parents;Parenthood
