Research

This study was conducted to explore the direction of policies to promote the rights of adopted children and support adoptive families in Jeju, amidst the strengthened roles of the state and local governments under the Special Act on Domestic Adoption, which took effect in July 2025. This study surveyed 300 Jeju residents on their perceptions of adoptive children and conducted in-depth interviews with 11 individuals, including adoptive families, staff at related organizations, legal professionals, and child psychologists, to analyze their adoption backgrounds, challenges, and support needs. The research results showed that while the majority of residents viewed adoption positively as a means of forming a family, prejudice and institutional limitations against adoptive families and adopted children still exist throughout society. In particular, the analysis found that strengthening support systems across the life cycle, including early adoption adjustment support, identity formation support after adolescence, and parenting education for adoptive parents, was urgent. Furthermore, fostering an inclusive social culture that recognizes adoptive families not as "special families" but as "one of many family types" was presented as a key task in shaping a culture of adoption.