Adaptation Potential in People Coming from Families with Many Children

Abstract

Adults' adaptation troubles that have family background first of all result from dysfunctionality of the family system. A family with many children should not be identified with a problem family. Dysfunctions of the family system may concern any family, irrespective of the number of children in it. Adaptation troubles of persons coming from families with many children first of all result from: the stereotype of a family with many children functioning in the society; the material poverty of the family triggering other forms of cognitive, social, cultural poverty; and deficits in the parents' psycho-social and educational competences.

In Poland various initiatives are launched that are directed to families with many children. Undoubtedly such enterprises favor development not only of the very families, but of the whole society as well. However, there are a lot of deficits in the policies directed to the family, especially one with many children. The deficits are observed mainly on the following levels: the macro-social one – a deficit of institutional support for families, especially ones with many children; this type of support requires a change in the binding law regulations and directives resolving social policies towards families, including ones with many children; the micro-social level, where there is a need to support families by means of various systems of social care (natural and specialist ones); this type of aid requires reliable knowledge about problem families areas (about the need for support) and qualified staff giving the care.