ABSTRACT
The Adopting parents must help the child work through this fantasy, and the fantasy will not be given up easily. When children move into an adoption setting, a number of critical steps need to be considered. The problems that are likely to occur during the adoption process mean that parents need help and support in dealing with the complexities of this process. Adoptive parents also find the adoption process to be stressful. Smith and Sherwen's research found that for most adoptive parents, the suspense and anxiety about the adoption is followed by a sense of relief after they finally have an opportunity to meet the child. Parents begin to realize the range of difficulties they will encounter with the child, the amount of time that it will take to work through these difficulties, and the amount of effort it will take to make the adoption work.
