David Pitcher explores how the parents of adopters respond to the role of adoptive grandparent and describes adoptive family life from the perspective of three generations. The research involved both a quantitative study (n = 236) and a qualitative study of six white British families, in which grandparents, parents and children were interviewed. The study concludes that grandparents are significant, not primarily for practical support but in their symbolic function. It is proposed that the concept of grandparents being ‘fun’ that has developed in contemporary British culture enables them to represent approval and acceptance. For parents, they are significant as ‘approving witnesses’ to this new family. The account concludes by suggesting how the three-generational perspective described can contribute to the assessment and support of adoptive families. Further studies could test whether this pattern can be seen in other cultural contexts or family types.
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