Observing World Adoption Day, John Perlman spoke to Sue Kravits from Child Protection and Adoption Services.
World Adoption Day highlights the importance for people to try and understand the process of adoption in South Africa.
The adoption process in South Africa is at times viewed as difficult and Kravits explains that the process ensures that the children are handed to suitable parents. Children as well need to be prepared for adoption and the children also would be assessed to ensure that they are adaptable, she notes.
The reason why the process may seem difficult is to make sure that the applicant knows what they want and why they want to adopt.
Sue Kravitz, Director – Child Protection and Adoption Services
Kravitz further explained that as part of the adoption process, Adoption South Africa also encourages adoptive parents to open up to their adoptive children about adoption as that will build trust and strengthen their bond.
Through the method of storytelling as well as the use of pictures adoptive parents can slowly introduce the adoption topic which will then get the child to gradually understand adoption.
Should you not tell the child, they will find out and that will destroy the very fundamentals of your relationship.
Sue Kravitz, Director – Child Protection and Adoption Services
Kravitz encourages South Africans to consider adoption because there are many children who are currently in need of a home. She advised that adoption is open to people from all walks of life and from all financial backgrounds.
She also noted an increase in black families who are now becoming interested in adoption.
To those families who feel that the process of their adoption documentation is taking too long, Kravitz advised that they must not give up, but should persist until the outcome of the adoption.
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