Adoption in Greece’s child protection system: Adoptive parents’ narratives and cognitions on psychosocial negotiations and therapeutic caregiving

Abstract

Adoption is conventionally framed as a statutory mechanism for child protection; however, adoptive parents’ perspectives reveal it to be a far more complex psychosocial process defined by continuous meaning-making, resilience, therapeutic caregiving, and pervasive uncertainty. This study presents a qualitative exploration of the narratives of twenty-seven adoptive parents. Using semi-structured interviews subjected to thematic analysis, the research examines how parents negotiate the semantic density of adoption as both rupture and repair, and as an intervention that reconfigures family identities. The analysis identifies three interconnected domains. First, parents conceptualise adoption as a paradoxical act that simultaneously embodies altruism, loss, and continuity. Second, experiences of pre-adoption preparation highlight asymmetrical power relations and experiences of inadequacy within professional systems. Third, post-placement life emerges as a site of ongoing negotiation, where parental identity, attachment, and the child’s evolving sense of self are intertwined with service navigation, open contact dilemmas, and the sustained effort required to maintain family bonds. Findings illuminate adoption as a dynamic, reparative and unfinished process rather than a definitive resolution. They underscore the need for reforms in training, policy, and support services that acknowledge the complexity of adoptive parenthood. Specifically, the study argues for support structures that prioritise emotionally attuned accompaniment and trauma-informed approaches, enabling families to adapt to evolving challenges and fostering resilience across the life course.