Crine, Anne-Marie <br/><br/>
Supporting Adoption Candidates: Experiences in Belgium and Luxembourg 

 -  2013.<br/>							 
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<br/><br/> This paper discusses the professional support provided to potential adopters in Belgium and Luxembourg. Considering that the gap between the imaginary child and the real child is wider in the adoptive process, the adoption authorities in both countries consider it necessary to support adopters through what specialists describe as an “adoptive pregnancy.” This consists in taking candidates through various steps of information and awareness-raising about the realities of adoption, encouraging a “demystification” of adoption, more open attitudes to otherness, and personal responsibility. This work draws on concepts such as the “adoptive normality” of Johanne Lemieux and uses a methodology that relies on the pooling of experiences and a plurality of approaches based on recent research.