The role of the social worker in the family integration of the adopted child

The motivation for becoming a parent appears at a certain moment in the evolution of the stable couples. To carry out this motivation, economic, social and psychological adjustments are necessary. The motivation considerably variates from one culture to another. Sometimes the child is invested with the role of maintaining the family�fs cohesion. Other times, the child is seen as a �eduty�f of the family. From a psychological point of view, the adoption responds to the desire of being a parent and satisfies different motivations (generosity, solidarity, private interests). The infertile couples that adopt, are seeking to fulfill their narcissistic desire and to get over the trauma sterility felt like a mutilation. It is about assuming, through a social act and not a medical one, a lineage, to ensure for the adopted children, a �efamily�f in order to defend him against the annihilation and anxiety. The parental fantasies can be satisfied after an archaic model of dominance and omnipotence. The adoption law in every country, provides certain selection criteria for the adoptive parents. In the adoption procedure, whether national or international, the participation of the social workers is very important. The adoption is just one of the social worker�fs tasks, but, through the complexity of the involved issues, this attribution assumes a lot of responsibilities and dedication.