Challenges and strategies of adoptive parents: An invisible family type in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has amended its Adoption Ordinance and formalized unrelated closed adoption since 1972. However, adoptive families remain an invisible and understudied group in public and academic discourses. Their ‘invisibility’ probably explains why the Hong Kong government does not see the need to provide post-adoption service (LegCo, 2018), and why policy and survey studies on Hong Kong family changes have not included this family form in their investigation (Chow & Lum, 2008; Department of Social Work and Social Administration, 2018; Policy 21, 2015). This qualitative study aims to address this gap and improve public understanding by bringing in the voices and experiences of Chinese adoptive families. Based on in-depth interviews with 13 adoptive families (in which 10 couples and 3 mothers were interviewed), we have identified some major challenges that adoptive parents experienced, including social stigma, difficulties in parenting SEN children, and disagreements among couples. We will also discuss the ways these parents resolve those challenges and the implications for social services. Copyright © 2021 LIF.