The needs of adopted children in the context of school education

Abstract

This article is focused on problems and needs experienced by adopted children in the context of school education. In the first point, the specificity of developmental situation of adopted children is discussed, given their earlier staying in the foster care system. Additionally, the statistical data regarding the current numbers of children being either adopted or cared for in the foster care system in Poland is presented here. In the second point, the findings of a Polish research project dealing with the foster parents opinions on the specific educational needs of children placed in the foster care system are shown. In the third point, the results of two chosen foreign empirical research projects (carried out in the UK and the US) are analyzed, both of which are directly related to the title problem pursued in this article. During the projects opinions were collected respectively from parents and teachers. The article considerations end with a concise summary, in which pedagogical significance of the discussed questions and the need of undertaking relevant empirical research are underscored.